2-Timer
by cybergirl26
Summary: Was it tasteless to run a play out of the playbook at his publishers annual banquet? Probably. Would he still do it? Also, likely.
1. Chapter 1

**I needed to unwind and no better way then to write a short fic :) What do you guys think should the decision at the end be? **

Black-Tie event, yet most guys showed up in blazers!

Barney shook his head as he scanned the room. It was a perfect depiction of what society was like these days, now, in 2032.

A red, velvet dress caught his attention. He couldn't catch a good look of the girl wearing it since his line of sight was blocked by others, but he could tell that the dress was real black-tie material.

He noticed the girls slender legs and licked his lips.

Was it tasteless to run a play out of the playbook at his publishers annual banquet? Probably. Would he still do it? Also, likely.

He had buried his playboy alter-ego a long time ago, the day Ellie was born to be exact, but Ellie was staying with James and Tom tonight, and he had a hotel room upstairs. Why not enjoy the night?

He started to walk towards the girl in the red, velvet dress, contemplating which play he should run, when his thoughts were cut short the second he reached her.

"Robin?!" He couldn't believe he was standing in front of his ex-wife.

"Ba…Barney, hey." She replied, clearly caught off guard as well.

"Wow…you are... what are you doing here?"

The guy she had been talking to asked her if he could freshen her drink, and she handed him her tumbler absent mindedly.

"I was on the guest list." She replied, "what are you doing here?"

"Same, I guess." He replied.

To say that he was stunned to run into his ex-wife was an understatement. They hadn't seen each other in what? 12 years?

"Are you back in New York?" he asked, even though he knew the answer to that question.

Ted had ran into her years ago and she had told him that she was back in the city permanently. But who knew whether or not that was still valid. He hadn't even talked to Ted in nearly half a decade either.

"I'm just here for the banquet." Robin replied, "what about you?"

"Please, you know better than anyone that I'm not happy unless I'm in Manhattan."

It made her laugh, "true."

He looked over to the bar and noticed that the guy she had been talking to was finally served.

"Look, this might seem rushed but…do you want to get out of here? I got a room upstairs, we could catch up?" he asked.

He could tell that she was debating whether or not that was a good idea in her head, and contemplated to add that he meant the invitation purely platonic. But truth was that he didn't, and if she agreed to come upstairs with him, that she also agreed to more. If not, well then they could talk for a few more minutes, and leave each others lives once more.

"Sure." She finally said, and he grinned his signature smile.

"Well, let's go." He quickly and assertively placed his hand in the small of her back and lead her out of the room.

The elevator ride was awkward, and Robin tried to break the silence by asking about Ellie, which made everything a hundred times more awkward.

They finally reached the room.

He closed the door behind her, as she watched him.

And then he simply stepped forward and kissed her.

It felt like their first kiss; passionate, yet new and exciting. Her hand on the knot of his tie, he had missed that.

Instinct took over quickly.

They weren't thirty anymore, and he hated her wearing her hair this short, but he discovered that she still got it.

He also discovered two new scars, and five new freckles.

And re-discovered how awesome sex with Robin Scherbatsky truly was.

Twenty years ago they would have been all over each other for most of the night, now they needed a break after their first, admittedly wild round.

The view over the Hudson was breathtaking, and both of them commented on that when he held her afterwards, both facing the window front.

He traced with his fingers over the scar he had noticed on her thigh, "what happened there?"

She chuckled, "you noticed that, huh?"

"I've noticed everything that has changed." He whispered.

"Oh great." She sighed.

"That's not what I meant, you are still super hot Robin…but you have three new freckles on your right arm, one on your back, and then one right at the inside of your thigh…right there." He let his finger move to it.

She turned in his arms, now facing him, "you've got a new scar as well."

"Please, its probably just one of the ones from the bus accident." He replied.

"Nope, right here." She moved both her hands to his stomach, teasing him lightly before stopping at a certain point.

"Appendix." He replied and kissed her, long enough so they both closed their eyes and let themselves get lost in the kiss.

"You've got the new one on your thigh, and then you have one…" he moved down in the bed until he was able to kiss the underside of her right breast, "…right there."

"The one on my leg is from a bull fight."

It made him laugh, "naturally. What about this one?"

"Breast implants?" she tried to joke.

"Nope, they are still the same…see, fits perfectly in my hand." He cupped her breast with his hand and honked her playfully.

It made her giggle.

"What is it really from?"

"A biopsy."

It made him swallow, he might have not seen her in over a decade, but the thought that something could happen to her was still unbearable.

"I'm okay Barney…it was nothing." She whispered as she traced with her fingers through his hair.

He nodded slowly, "glad to hear that."

She smiled, "I have to ask you for a no questions asked."

He pulled his eyebrow up, "ooookay?"

"I need to make a call…but you can't ask to whom or why."

"Sounds good, I need to make one as well." Not really, but he wanted to give her the space she needed to do whatever it was that needed to be done.

"I'll make mine in the bathroom while you make yours on the balcony?" She asked.

He nodded and untangled himself from her, "see you back in bed in ten?"

She nodded, "and then we won't leave it till the morning."

They kissed again.

Robin got up and locked herself in the bathroom, while he scanned the room for his boxers.

He pulled them off the nightstand and knocked her clutch off while doing so. Something besides the purse hit the ground and he could hear it roll away.

Curious, he looked around for it.

Oh fuck, was all he could think when he found the wedding band.

She had re-married? How could she do that? There was no way he could have ever gotten married to someone else.

Wait….she was married? That meant she had just cheated on her husband.

Oh god, that wasn't good. At all.

How had he not noticed the ring earlier? And when had she taken it off?

He swallowed hard and sat back on the edge of the bed.

He was still sitting there when she opened the bathroom door.

"Did you reach whoever is watching Ellie?" she asked.

He held the ring up, "I found this Robin. You are married?"

She stopped in her tracks, "no. I'm not."

"Don't lie to me."

"I'm not lying." She snatched the ring out of his hand and sat down next to him, pulling the covers over her legs, "it's just a symbol, Ted wanted...but I…"

"TED?" Barney asked shocked.

Robin looked up, "I figured you knew."

"MOSBEY?" he asked.

"Didn't Lily tell you?"

"No." Sure, Lily's annual letter was filled with all kinds of information, but she had never mentioned that Robin and Ted were an item again. In fact, she had never mentioned either one of them altogether.

"It happened two years ago, I was lonely and he showed up with the blue French horn…I thought it would be my last chance to be a part of a real family."

"Oh my god." He put his head into his hands.

"Turns out that moody teenagers make it hard to be part of a family though."

"You cheated on Ted? With me?"

Robin shook her head, "if anything I cheated on you with Ted."

"What?"

"Isn't that how the brocode works? The ex-wife of a bro must clearly be off limits, right?"

"Robin, why the hell did you agree to come up here with me?" he asked.

"Same reason you asked me to come up a minute into us running into each other, same reason we just had the best sex either one of us had in a long time, same reason our conversation post-coital was so lighthearted."

He swallowed, "Robin, what exactly are you and Ted right now?"

"An old couple?" he replied sarcastically, "I don't know how to better describe it."

"But you two are…you know?"

"Having sex?"

He nodded.

"Does he fuck me? Yes. Are we having anything that comes even remotely close to what we just did? No."

"This is a nightmare. And explains your haircut."

"What?" she asked surprised.

"Nothing. Look, we should just forget this ever happened, right? I mean Ted never has to know."

She looked surprised, "that's what you want?"

"It's not about what I want Robin, you are in a committed relationship. What we did was wrong."

She grabbed his arm, "Barney, if you really mean that then look me in the eyes and tell me that we should forget this. If so, I will get dressed and leave right now, but if you can't then I'd suggest we climb back into bed and enjoy the rest of our night together."

He looked into her blue eyes, contemplating what he should do.


	2. Chapter 2

**Thanks for the reviews :) I'm not sure whether or not this will be a longer story or just a handful of chapters, but I'm glad everyone seems to be enjoying it thus far. **

Barney reached out and around her waist, pulling her backwards and onto the bed with him.

Her laughter filled his ears and he muffled it by kissing her once more.

It took a moment for them to reorganize themselves in the bed, but eventually he ended up holding her close to himself once again.

"I can't believe you came upstairs with me." He whispered.

Robin nodded, "me neither…guess you still got it."

He laughed about that and kissed her.

"So…why on earth Ted again?" he asked.

"You never showed up." She replied.

"You never called either."

She nodded, "yeah, I know."

"And I honestly didn't think you'd ever wanted me to show up again. With Ellie and all."

She caressed his cheek, "how is she?"

"She's awesome." He replied.

"Can I ask you…what's the story with her mom? I know she was in her life before but last time I heard something about it was that you got full custody of Ellie."

He smiled, "guess talking about your ex-husband is not a favorite topic in the Scherbatsky-Mosby Household, huh?"

She grinned, "nope, not really."

"Ellie's mom got addicted to cocaine when Ellie was two, and I got full custody of her by the time she was three. She's still in Ellie's live though. She's been clean for two years now and wants to see Ellie. It's tough on Ellie though, she doesn't understand all this yet and seeing her mother always steers something in her, you know? But I can't really cut her mom out of our lives completely, she's still her mother after all and she is doing really well and kind of deserves to see her daughter."

"Wow, that's…I didn't expect that. I'm sorry Barney."

He shrugged, "it's okay, I mean it's sad to watch someone just waste away like that, and struggling so much, and I do arch for Ellie, but it's not like I was ever in love with her or anything, you know?"

Robin nodded, "still."

Barney smiled and kissed her, "let's stop talking about these solemn topics. Tell me about something that makes you happy these days."

Robin grinned, "I've got dogs again."

"You do? That's awesome! And Ted let them live with you guys too?"

"I let his kids live with us." She replied sarcastically.

"Touché, but seriously, how did that happen?"

"I already had them, and even Ted wouldn't ask me to get rid of my dogs twice, and he must have known that I wouldn't have done it again either. And we live in his house…you know the one he fixed up? The large yard is perfect for them."

"That's good."

Robin nodded.

"So the whole kids thing is still not for you, huh?" Barney asked.

She shrugged, "they are moody teenagers, and while they were initially okay with Ted and I dating again, they do miss their mom and see me as an intruder. Not all the time, but they have their moments. I guess they need someone to blame, you know?"

He didn't really, but he didn't want to talk about it now, so he just nodded before kissing her once more and hence initiating their second round.

Robins head was resting on his chest and he moved his arm around her shoulder.

"Robin?" he whispered.

"Yeah?"

"In case you are gone tomorrow morning before I wake up; let's not not see each other for another decade, okay?"

"Okay." She replied softly, before both of them drifted off to sleep.

Robin was indeed gone when he woke up the next morning, but she had left him a note with her new cell phone number by the bedside.

He pulled his phone out and saved the number, grinning the whole time.

…

Five very excited dogs greeted her at the door the second she stepped into the house.

"Hey boys, did you miss me?" She asked as she tried to split her attention equally between them.

"Thank god you are here, they're driving me crazy!" Ted announced while walking towards here.

"Have they been out yet?" she asked, leaning down once more to pet the smallest of the bunch, hindering Ted from kissing her.

"I let them out in the yard but they haven't gotten their walk." He replied.

"I'll do it right now." Robin said and reached for the leashes.

"Really? But you just got here." Ted whined.

"I won't be long." She promised.

Moments later she was back outside.

She took a deep breath, frisk air filled her lungs and made her feel alive.

Or maybe the sex with Barney had done that.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she fished it out.

_Mrs. Scherbatsky, I want to thank you for your appearance at last nights banquet. Your company was most enjoyable. _

She grinned and typed her response:

_Why the code Barney?_

The answer came right away.

_Wasn't sure if Ted would see it or not. _

She grinned and quickly saved his number in her contacts, changing the settings so that his messages wouldn't show up on her home screen.

_No worries, Ted can't unlock my phone. Send me a pic?_

This time it took him a little longer to reply, but her phone finally buzzed.

The picture literally made her laugh out loud and two of her five dogs eyes her suspiciously.

_Did you really just send me your junk for your profile pic in my contacts?_

She shook her head while pulling the pic up once more.

_At least Ted wouldn't know its me right away._

_Can I get a real one?_

_If I get one of your boobs in return?_

_How old are you?_

It felt good to be silly with him again, even though it was wrong on so many levels and she was sure that she would pay the price for this sooner or later.

_So maybe?_

She looked around, making sure no one saw her before taking a picture of her chest, which naturally was covered in her wool coat.

_Well played Scherbatsky._

Came the reply, and a decent selfie. She saved it with his number and wrote another reply.

_Are you home yet?_

_Nope, still in the hotel. James and Tom want to take Ellie to the farmers market, I'll pick her up around lunch. You?_

_Yeah._

_And?_

_And what?_

_Did you see Ted yet? _

_Yes. _

_And?_

She grinned at the conversation, what was he expecting her to say.

_It wasn't too weird. But I only saw him for a minute. _

_Are you going to tell him?_

She contemplated the question, it was the right thing to do, yet she had decided not to.

_No._

She waited for his reply but it never came and she finally let her phone slide back into her pocket and concentrated on her dogs again.

She wasn't going to throw her entire life away because Barney and her had a night of fun.

Things weren't that easy anymore, Barney had a kid now.

And she had five dogs who loved the big yard, besides, Penny and Luke might be giving her a hard time, but they also needed her. Just as Ted did.

Barney couldn't expect her to just throw all that away to be with him again.

And deep down he probably didn't really want that either.


	3. Chapter 3

"So, how was the banquet?" Ted asked when Robin entered the kitchen an hour later.

"It was good." She shrugged.

"I wish I could have gone with you. I haven't been in Manhattan for ever."

"Well you'll be there Tuesday." Robin reminded him.

"Tuesday?"

"The premier of the Musical."

"That's this Tuesday?" he asked surprised.

Robin knew what that meant, "don't tell me you forgot."

"I didn't forget, it's just, Penny is going to a party and I promised to pick her up."

"She is eighteen and has a car." Robin replied while getting a bottle of water out of the fridge.

"Yeah but there will probably be alcohol."

"She's eighteen." Robin repeated.

"Oh come on, you know how these things go."

"Ted, you said you'd come with me."

"We'll go to the next one." He tried to kiss her but she turned away.

"Whatever, I'll just go by myself." She said while exiting the kitchen.

Ted followed her, "Robin wait, are you mad?"

But she didn't stop, and instead went straight towards the bathroom.

"No I'm not, now if you would excuse me, I want to take a shower before logging in for work."

Discussing this with him would only lead to a bigger fight, and she wasn't in the mood for either.

She turned the water on and let it splash her face.

There was no doubt in her mind that Penny had only asked him to pick her up because she knew that Robin had other plans that night. But of course Ted would never see it that way, to him these accusations were completely ridiculous and unfounded.

She wondered if Ellie would do the same thing if Robin had somehow ended up living with her and Barney, instead of Ted and his kids.

Probably, she guessed.

She sighed, how had her life become so complicated? And why had she made everything even worse by sleeping with Barney last night?

She didn't really want to think about it. For now no one needed to know that she and Barney had ran into each other.

Thinking back to the musical premier, she decided to see if Barney was up to it.

She didn't really mind going to these things by herself, but it sure would be a lot more fun if Barney would accompany her.

After all, it was just an outing to watch a musical, it didn't mean they would hook up again.

She exited the shower and grabbed her phone,

_I'm invited to a musical premier on Tuesday night. Wanna go? _

She looked down at the text while waiting for his reply, re-reading it. Yes, she was playing with fire, but her entire life had become a constant string of lame outings to family restaurants and soccer practices. She yearned for something different, and exciting. And there was no denying that being with Barney, in any way, had always been exciting.

Her phone buzzed in her hand and she re-focused her attention on the screen.

_It's a date. _

It should have probably scared her off, but instead she couldn't help but grin.

…

"Wow, you look stunning." Barney commented once he had found her in the crowed.

She smiled and rubbed her bare arms.

"Thanks."

He took his own coat off and placed it on her shoulders, "not the best choice for the weather, but definitely hot."

She grinned, "my coat's already inside, you know how these things go, you don't want to walk the red carpet in winter coats."

"Red carpet, huh?" he asked and turned around to take a closer look at the entrance.

She nodded, "yep."

He leaned closer, "well in that case, I will just see you inside?"

"That's probably for the best." She replied.

Barney smiled and kissed her gently.

It made her grin, "bolt, I thought you'd be lucky to get a good night kiss at the end of the night."

"I was actually hoping for more…I couldn't find someone to take Ellie on such short notice, so I had to bribe the teenage girl who babysits her every now and then to stay overnight, and since we can't go back to my place, I actually got us a hotel room."

"Presumptuous. I guess I should call Ted then and tell him that I won't be back tonight, huh?" She asked.

Barney cupped her face and kissed her again, more passionately this time.

"Did I mention that the room is on one of the top floors, with direct view of the Empire State Building?"

They kissed again, before Robin whispered, "but first we have to go to this premier."

"Do we?"

Robin nodded, "I've actually looked forward to it. I know it's now a guy's theme per se, but you might like it nevertheless."

"Please, I have a pre-teen at home, do you know through how many girly things I've sat? This is nothing."

They walked towards the entrance of the red carpet and Barney took his coat back right when they got there.

He watched her pose for the photographers as he made his way in through the back, and couldn't help but notice that the ring was missing from her finger.

…

Knowing what she did, Robin found it hard to actually concentrate on the show.

Her excitement to spend another night with Barney was undeniable, yet she still had to find a way to tell Ted that she would spend another night in the city, rather than coming home to him and the kids.

She opted for texting him.

_I ran into a friend from way back, and we decided to grab some drinks and catch up after the show. I'll just stay in the city since I've got that meeting here tomorrow morning anyways. _

His reply came prompt;

_Sounds good, enjoy yourself! Wish I could have been there with you, love you!_

She turned her phone off after that.

…

"Wow you weren't kidding when you said the room at a direct view of the Empire State building." Robin exclaimed once they had entered the spacious suite.

"That's not even the best part." Barney grinned and grabbed her hand to pull her along.

The adjacent bathroom was just as spacious, with equally large windows and a giant hot tub in the middle.

"Do I even want to know how you found this?"

"Does it matter?" he asked as he helped her out of his coat.

"No."

"Why don't you get the bath ready while I get us something to drink?" Barney suggested.

"Sounds good." Robin replied.

She was already in the tub, enjoying the breathtaking view, when he returned.

"There you go, a bottle of Glen McKenna 35, and two El Piramides." He placed the bottle of scotch and tumblers on the rim of the tub and handed her the plastic bag with the cigars.

"No way! You got us cigars? That's awesome!" Robin exclaimed excited.

Barney grinned, "who knows how many of these nights we get, I figured we gotta go all out."

He stripped in record time and joined her in the tub.

"Thank you Barney." Robin whispered once their first round of making out had seized and she was just laying in his arms, clinging glasses.

"Thank you for inviting me tonight." He replied.

His foot was gently stroking her calf and she lay back against him, "you bribed a babysitter to be with me, Ted wouldn't even spring for a stupid cab for his daughter."

Barney sighed and kissed her ear lope, "could we not talk about Ted tonight?"

Robin nodded, "sorry…I just meant that it means a lot that you took the time away from Ellie to come tonight."

"Maybe cross Ellie off the list of conversation topics as well?" he asked.

She turned her head around, and mumbled "m'okay", before kissing him.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Barney breathed in a mouth full of water, coughing furiously once he came back up.

Robin was doing the same thing, only that she was somehow coughing and laughing at the same time.

He loved that sound.

"What happened?" Robin asked once she was able to breath normally again.

"I slipped." He replied.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulder again, where they had been placed moments before, clinging to him to ensure that her head wouldn't go under water again. Her legs followed suit, wrapping around his waist once more.

"Sorry." He whispered and captured her mouth with his.

"It's okay…just didn't expect the quick dunk."

"I know, we just had a really nice rhythm going." He kissed her once more.

"I don't want to kill the mood or anything…"

"…you mean more than I just did?" He asked.

"…is it just me, or is the water getting really cold now?"

He laughed, "you are just saying that because you don't want to risk a drowning accident."

He didn't give her time to answer and instead pushed himself up, "hold on tight."

She giggled into his hear and it turned him on tremendously.

He walked them back into the bedroom and climbed back onto the bed, putting her down gently before turning around to pull the covers over both of them.

"We are getting the sheets wet." Robin giggled.

"Don't worry baby, the heat that will transpire here will try them quickly." He replied in a deep voice.

They kissed again, more passionately this time and just when things started to get heated again he could hear a phone buzz.

He broke the kiss, "yours?"

Robin shook her head, "mine is turned off."

He contemplated what he should do. He didn't want to break the spell between them, but on the other hand the person calling was most likely Ellie's babysitter.

"It's okay Barney, I get it." Robin whispered, her hands moving up and down his chest, "answer it."

He sighed and flipped the covers back, before getting up to find his phone.

"Hey Jenny, what's up?" he asked as he looked back to Robin.

She had sat up in bed, and was watching him. God he hoped that the night wouldn't end yet.

"Can you get her on the phone for a second?" he turned away from Robin, why was this happening right now.

"Hey sweetie, what's the matter?" he asked softly.

"My stomach hurts daddy." Ellie replied, clearly crying.

"Are you sure that's not just because you woke up and realized that I wasn't home yet?"

"No."

"We talked about this, remember? Jenny will stay with you tonight and take you to school tomorrow morning."

Ellie was crying harder now and he couldn't make out what she was saying.

"Sweetie can you calm down for me?"

He suddenly felt Robins hands on his arms, and turned around.

"It's okay," she mouthed.

But he wasn't ready to give up yet.

"Sweetie, I can't help you if you don't calm down and talk to me."

"Please." Sob. "Come" Sob. "Home." Sob.

Hearing Ellie cry like this was breaking his heart, but the thought of having to leave this hotel room and Robin behind was not much better.

Robin was still rubbing her hands up and down his arms, "you should go. She comes first, I get that."

He closed his eyes for a second, this wasn't fair. He hadn't done anything selfish for the past eleven years, why did Ellie pick tonight to have a meltdown.

"You are fine Ellie, stop acting like a three-year old. I told you that Jenny would take care of you tonight." He was harsher than he had meant to be.

Naturally Ellie only cried even harder.

Robin leaned in and kissed him gently, before whispering once again, "it's okay Barney."

"No it's not." He replied equally whispering.

"Let me talk to Jenny again." He said into the phone and moments later the teenager was back on the line.

"Look Jenny, I will double your salary if you get her back to bed, if not, you can call be and I'll come home. Deal?"

"I'll try but she's really cranky."

"I believe in you." He said before ending the call.

"Double her salary?" Robin asked amused.

"It might have bought us another half an hour." He grinned.

He picked her back up and carried her back to bed without another warning.

Twenty-five minutes later, they were laying in each others arms, recovering from their orgasms.

"That was awesome." Barney whispered.

Robin nodded, "we still got it."

"Duh." He replied.

"So, do you think Ellie is fine without you coming home?"

"Every passing minute gives me more hope." He replied and kissed her.

"I don't want you to feel guilty if you have to leave though, I really do get it Barney."

"I know, it's just…I know we haven't talked about what this is and knowing us we probably won't, but the way I see it is that we both need a break from our respective lives every once in a while, and now that we ran into each other again, it gave us an opportunity to do just that, in the most awesome way possible. So yes, I know you would understand if I had to rush home, but truth is, I really don't want to leave right now. I need a break from being the responsible, single father, and being here with you makes me feel alive again. I don't know how to describe it better."

"I get it. And I feel the same, I feel suffocated a lot of the time in my normal life these days, but maybe that's just what life is once you have all these responsibilities. But hanging out with you…it's fun and exciting. I know we said we wouldn't take about Ted, but I can't help but think about it. Ted and I haven't smoked a single cigar together in the last 16 months. I can't even recall a time where we had sex anywhere else than the bedroom, and it feels like we are just going through the motions. You made these last couple of hours more fun than my entire relationship has been…I know that sounds harsh and it's not fair to Ted either, because we do live with his kids, and aren't in Manhattan, but it's just how I feel. It's not Ted though. I'm sure we would have fallen into the same pattern if we would have stayed together."

Barney nodded, "I agree, what makes this so exciting is that it's so different from our normal life. We actually take time to do the things we haven't done in ages, and to just enjoy ourselves."

Robin nodded, "but we'd probably be just as caught up in reality if it was us living together."

"Yeah…so, now that we have established that. I guess you won't tell Ted anything and we will just try to see each other every now and then to unwind?" he asked, but his phone started buzzing before she could answer.

"Dammit." He cursed under his breath before answering it.


	5. Chapter 5

Just hearing the words "family night" was a guaranteed way to ruin Robins day. Adding that Ted wanted to take everyone out to the family diner only made things worse.

There was nothing that depicted how lame her life had become than going to the suburban family diner on family night.

Yet she knew she couldn't get out of it.

She sighed and closed her laptop, she wished she could turn back time and re-live the previous night rather than pick up Luke from soccer practice before heading over to the diner.

Barney had headed home after the babysitter had called a second time. Which obviously had sucked, but she was still happy that he had planned such an awesome night for them in the first place.

She wanted to plan something equally awesome in return.

Her phone buzzed and she took a look,

_Robin I've send you the tickets for Moscow via e-mail. Have a good flight. Patrice_

That was one topic she had to address tonight, and it would most definitively lead to a fight.

She didn't know why the men in her live couldn't deal with her traveling for work.

She noticed the time and how late she was, great, off to a good start already.

…

"There you are! How was the musical premier aunt Robin?" Penny asked.

Robin took a deep breath and looked over to Ted.

Clearly Penny's enthusiasm only sounded fake to her ears.

"It was great." She replied while sitting down.

"Yeah?" Ted chipped in.

"Yeah, it really was, I had a great night."

"Daddy said you ran into an old friend."

"I did yeah." Luckily the waitress interrupted their conversation before anyone could ask more questions.

"I would love to accompany you to the next premier." Penny announced.

"That's a great idea, you guys should totally do that. I'm sure you two would have a fun night in the city." Ted said.

"I could walk the red carpet with you, right?" Penny asked.

"Maybe." Robin replied.

"You looked great last night, I googled it during lunch today." Ted said.

Robin smiled, wondering whether or not he had noticed that she hadn't worn her ring.

"Thanks." Robin replied, "how was your party Penny?"

She spaced out while Penny recounted the events of the evening.

The food was, as always, too fat and Robin only played with it.

There was a lull in the conversation and Robin decided to break the news.

"I was assigned to cover the peace talks in Moscow next week."

"What?" Ted asked surprised.

"You are going on ANOTHER business trip?" Penny asked annoyed.

"Yes Penny." Robin replied equally annoyed.

"You'll miss my game?" Luke asked.

"I'm afraid so, I won't be back till Sunday."

"When are you leaving?" Ted asked.

"Monday morning."

"Can't they send someone else?" Penny asked.

"They could, but I asked to cover it."

Ted sighed and averted his eyes, a clear sign that he was mad but didn't want to get into this now.

"I think we should get a say in these things." Penny challenged her.

"Well, you won't Penny, so get used to it." Robin replied.

"Woaw, woaw, woaw, let's not get snappy. Penny I know you are hurt but Robin is very passionate about her career and we should try and support her."

Robin couldn't help but laugh about that. Yeah right.

"Excuse me for a second?" she asked as she stood up before the situation could escalate further.

She went outside and pulled a cigarette and her phone out.

_Random question, are you doing lame family night things with Ellie?_

The reply came prompt.

_Define lame. Given that it's just the two of us, every night is sort of family night._

Right.

Robin sighed, she couldn't help but wonder whether she ended up with the wrong step daughter.

But then again, the grass was always greener on the other side.

Her phone buzzed once more.

_You okay? _

_Yeah, just suffering through family night in the suburbs._

_Not every night can be as legendary as yesterday was. Hang in there Scherbatsky. _

She flicked the cigarette butt onto the ground and pulled a pack of gum out. Ted hated that she still smoked from time to time, especially when the kids noticed it.

_I get a break from it all next week, heading to Russia._

_Sweet. Maybe you can get a bottle of vodka for us to share sometime. _

_It's a date. _

"Here you are." Penny suddenly said behind her and she let her phone slip back into her pocket.

"Just wanted to get some fresh air."

"Yeah right, you were smoking again." Penny accused her.

"Just as you were last night." Robin said and went out on a limb.

"What? No I wasn't." Penny's high-pitched voice gave her away.

"So you moved on to weed, huh?"

"No, I wasn't…."

"Maybe you should stop being so hypocritical, it's a bad habit, Penny." She went back inside where Ted and Luke just ordered dessert.

"You were gone a while." Luke commented.

"Did you tell your dad about your good math test?" Robin asked to get another conversation going that didn't include her.

…

"So Russia, huh?" Ted asked when he got into bed next to her.

"Russia."

"I thought you quit the whole foreign correspondent gig."

"You know that I did." She replied annoyed.

"Then why is this the fourth trip this year?" Ted asked.

"Why not?" she countered.

"Look I don't want to fight about this Robin, it's just that you aren't living by yourself anymore, and these trips affect the entire family."

"You do realize that your kids aren't toddlers anymore, right?" Robin asked.

"And you do realize that you are part of a family now, right?" Ted countered.

"It's a seven day trip Ted. I honestly don't see what the big deal is."

"You never saw what the big deal with your obsession of travelling is."

"Are you seriously bringing Barney into this now?" Robin asked.

"What? No, I wasn't…no, of course I'm not bringing your ex-husband into this argument. Why would you even think that?"

Robin just turned away from him, "obviously I have given up a lot for my career Ted, I'm not going to sacrifice any of that now."

"Robin I never said you should, it would just be nice if you would discuss these things with us beforehand."

Robin decided to remain silent.

Eventually Ted moved beside her until his hand rested on her stomach and she could feel his breath on her neck.

"I really don't want to fight." He kissed her skin lightly.

She grabbed his hand and moved it off of her, "I'm not in the mood."

"I get it, we are both annoyed, but let's not let it ruin our night, hmm?"

"It's not going to happen Ted." She repeated.

He let go of her with an audible sigh, "good night, I love you."

"Night." She replied as she snuggled more into the sheets.

She started to think about last night, and how different things were when she was with Barney.

Always had been really.

She wondered why she wasn't feeling guilty.

Maybe that would come later.

She could hear Ted move again next to her, and finally realized what he was doing a few seconds later.

She turned around, "you could have at least waited till I was asleep."

"I thought you were." He replied, "but since you are not, do you want to lend a hand?"

"Really?"

"Oh come on, that's a classic thing Barney would say, you used to laugh about it."

"Yeah, when Barney said it. On you it's just pathetic."

That clearly killed the mood.

"What's the deal with you defending Barney so much all of a sudden?" Ted asked.

"You just brought him up, not me." She replied.

"But you are weirdly sentimental about him tonight."

"By saying that he was better at pulling off dirty suggestions?" Robin asked confused.

"Well, you mentioned him earlier too."

"I think you are being paranoid." She replied.

"So the old friend you ran into last night wasn't Barney?" Ted asked.

"What?"

"You never said his or her name, and it's not like you have that many friends from way back in New York."

"Are you serious right now Ted?" she asked sharply.

It scared him off, "I'm just, I'm sorry, okay? Penny was asking me all these questions this morning, why you didn't come home again, who you were with, and it made me wonder who you could have possibly ran into that made you want to stay in the city."

"You know you could have just gone with me to the premier."

"I know, I'm sorry I missed it."

"And I really don't appreciate Penny constantly trying to sabotage our relationship Ted. I know you don't think she's doing that but it sure feels that way, and at one point you have to decide who to side with, because I'm not letting her get away with this crab much longer."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

"Hey Ted…" Ted interrupted her before she could finish her sentence.

"Hi Robin, I can't wait to see you tomorrow."

"Actually…"

But he interrupted her again.

"It's supposed to be a surprise but the kids suggested to take you out to the diner as a welcome."

Robin took a deep breath, great.

"Ted I'm not…"

"…I think it'll be good to spend some quality time as a family. The kids really miss you, and obviously I do too."

She really couldn't deal with this right now, "I just wanted to check in."

"Everything's fine here. Do you want me to pick you up from the airport?" he asked.

"I was gone for a week Ted, don't Ted this up." She replied annoyed.

It worked.

"I was just being polite." He replied.

"I'm serious Ted, you better not plan a lame surprise in the arrival area."

"I'm not….so I'll see you tomorrow afternoon?" he asked.

"Yeah."

"I really can't wait to see you Robin."

She cringed, "me neither. Bye Ted."

"Bye."

She ended the call and looked around, now what?

Somehow she had ended up thinking that she'd be back on Sunday, but Patrice had booked her on a flight that got her back to New York on Saturday night.

But now the long flight had left her drained and she didn't feel like playing family tonight.

She scrolled through her cell phone contacts before dialing Barney's number.

"I wish I could remember what I "hi there" means in Russian." Barney greeted her cheerfully.

"I'm actually back in New York already and got through customs with that bottle of vodka."

"Sweet."

"I know this is on really short notice but…could you escape tonight?"

"Oh…äh…"

Robin sighed, of course he couldn't just get up and leave, what had she been thinking.

"I'm sorry, forget that I asked." She quickly added.

"Saturday nights are our pizza-and-movie nights, and I know that's lame and the last thing you would want to do after a long haul flight but … wanna come? Ellie will be in bed by eleven, so we could still try the vodka."

It caught her completely off guard.

"Barney I don't know if that's a good idea, Ellie has never met me, and I am not sure how I feel about meeting her."

"Do you trust me?" he asked.

"Yeah, I do."

"Then hop into a cab and get here already. Same old place."

She didn't know how to respond to that, but on the other hand, what was the alternative? Another night in an empty hotel room?

"I'll be there in forty minutes."

"Can't wait." He replied before hanging up.

She let her phone slide back into her pocket while turning around, on the lookout for a toystore or something similar to get a little something for Ellie.

Kids always loved getting gifts, and she was still younger, so maybe bribing Ellie would buy her some plus points and leave a good first impression.

…

She had literally walked through this door a thousand times before, yet crossing over the threshold now seemed impossible.

Because everything would be different once she did.

Up to this point she had never even seen a picture of Barney's daughter, yet alone met her.

Which made it easy to pretend that she didn't actually exist, and that they could just pick up where they had left off twelve years ago.

Obviously she knew that too much had changed to go back, and it wasn't like she wanted that to happen, yet facing Ellie, would be like facing reality and she didn't know if she was really ready for that.

The door swung open before she could think more about it.

"There you are." Barney greeted her, reaching for his suitcase.

"Hey." Robin replied.

"Come on in." Barney grabbed her hand and she finally entered the apartment.

She looked around, but couldn't see Ellie anywhere.

Barney came closer and got into her personal space, "it's going to be okay Robin, I promise."

He placed a quick kiss on her lips before stepping back again.

"All I need to know is what kind of pizza you want. I know you just want to hop in the shower so I've already put a fresh towel in the bathroom, along with a pair of sweatpants and a plain t-shirt. Ellie has supplied some basic beauty products like her strawberry shampoo and her hair dryer."

"And I also found this bottle of body lotion." An excited little girl suddenly appeared next to Barney, "hi, I'm Ellie."

Apparently Ellie had inherited her fathers blue eyes, and blond hair. Her curls were pulled back in a messy ponytail, and she was already wearing her pajamas, which had a pink pattern on the pants.

She reached her hand out and Robin shook it, "hi Ellie, I'm Robin."

"Here." Ellie handed the pink tube of lotion over, "it smells like vanilla."

"Thanks." Robin was surprised by her openness.

"So what kind of pizza?" Barney asked again.

"Pepperoni."

"That's my favorite too." Ellie informed her.

"Got it. Well, we'll see you after your shower? You can just go through the cabinets if you need something else, there might be an extra razor under the sink." Suddenly his confidence wavered, "not that I'm suggesting you should shave anything…I just want you to feel right at home."

"Thanks." Robin replied, grinning stupidly.

Barney stepped aside so she could walk through, "pizza should be here in thirty minutes, but take all the time you need."

Robin nodded as she walked over to the hallway that led to the bedroom they used to share.

"How did I do?" she could hear Ellie ask, and Robin started to grin.

It seemed as if she wasn't the only one who was a little nervous about how their first meeting would go.

She didn't remember the gift she had gotten Ellie until she was already under the shower and decided to give it to her once she was done.

The hair dryer was in the shape of a puppy and it reminded her once more how much the fortress had changed.

It also barely had any power and it took forever until her rather short hair was dry.

There was a gift idea for Ellie, she thought as she pulled Barney's sweatpants on. Naturally they were way too big, and not the best look on her, but she couldn't care less.

She stepped out of the bathroom and was surprised to find Barney and Ellie laying on the bed, pizza boxes and a tablet with drinks on their laps.

"Ready?" Barney asked.

"Almost." Robin countered and went back into the living room to get the gift.

"I got you something Ellie." She handed the box to the girl.

"From Russia?" Ellie asked excited.

"No…unfortunately I didn't know I would meet you today. It's just from the airport, I hope you still like it."

"We always watch our Saturday night movies here, it's just more comfortable than in the living room. I hope that's okay with you?" Barney asked.

"That actually sounds really great right now." Robin replied and climbed onto the bed.

"Wow, thank you. I love to read books!" Ellie held the book up to show Barney.

"That's really nice of you, thanks."

Robin waved it off, "your gift is still in the suitcase."

"We'll get it later." Barney winked, before asking, "ready to start the movie?"

Robin nodded as Ellie told her, "you have to get under the sheets too."

Robin grinned and did as she was told, her leg rubbing against Barney's.

"Ellie always snuggles up to me." Barney informed her.

"Yeah, I do. But you can do too, I don't mind." Ellie elaborated, and Robin wondered what Barney had told his daughter prior to her arrival.

"Thanks."

…

It was dark when she woke up, and her jet lacked mind realized too late that she was lying in someone's arms. She turned around and ended up waking Barney up as well.

"Hey sleepyhead." He whispered.

"Hey…how late is it?" she asked.

"Dunno, probably early morning."

"I must have fallen asleep." Robin whispered.

"Can't blame you, the movie wasn't exactly great."

"Is Ellie still here?"

"Nope, she fell asleep as well and I carried her back to her bed." He yawned.

"Sorry…I didn't mean to be such a party pooper."

"You just got back from oversee's, I figured you wouldn't last the whole movie."

"Still, I kind of looked forward to spending some alone time with you, if you know what I mean."

Barney laughed and pulled her closer to himself, so that her back was pressing into his chest.

"There is still plenty of time for what you were thinking." He whispered as he fumbled with her sweatpants, pulling them down far enough to expose her slip.

"How do you still do that?" she asked and turned her head to kiss him.

"What?" he replied as he pulled her shirt up and eventually over her head.

"Just be ready like that?"

"The real question is how you still do that." He replied and kissed her once again, immediately letting his tongue slip into her mouth.

…

He held her as she was just coming down from her second orgasm.

"Man, that position still does it for you, huh?" he chuckled, he couldn't help but be a little proud of himself for remembering that.

"Shit…that was…" she was still catching her breath.

He laughed and gently bit her shoulder, "you okay there?"

She nodded.

"I was afraid you were going to wake Ellie up there for a moment." He grinned.

"You don't think I did, do you?" she asked alarmed.

"Nah."

"God that would have been awkward."

"No arguing there."

"Let me recover for a few minutes and then we'll switch to a position that you enjoy more?" she asked.

"I doubt a few minutes are going to do it." He grinned, "I wore you out."

"Yeah, you did. But just as you remembered how to make me loose my mind, I also recall that this particular position doesn't do much for you."

"You might not have noticed, but I came too, don't worry about it."

She grinned and pulled his hand, which was still intertwined with hers, up to her mouth and kissed it.

They just laid there for a moment, their bodies still somewhat pressed together.

"I got offered to manage WWN's European office in London…it would only be ad interim, but I'd still be gone for six months later this year." Robin suddenly said.

"Are you serious?" he asked surprised.

"Sorry…I don't know why I just said that, I didn't mean to tell anyone about it. Forget I said anything, okay?"

"No, I didn't mean it like that." He quickly replied, "I know I screwed up in the past when it came to supporting your career, but I was always proud of you Robin. Always. And

the things you have achieved and how far you have come over these past 25 years is truly incredible."

"Please, you hated me having a career almost as much as Ted does." She replied.

It stung.

"I…I'm sorry Robin. Really sorry, I should have had a better attitude back then. I should have focused on the positive sides and enjoy things more. I can't even tell you why I was so bitter about it all by the end."

"You didn't just want to be my husband, in retrospect I get it. You had no job or real goal, and I never took you trying to establish your business and blog serious. We both made mistakes, that's life."

He nodded, discussing their divorce wasn't really where he wanted this conversation to go.

"So London, huh?" he asked.

"London." She replied.

"Are you going to do it?"

"Please, Ted would flip if I would even bring it up."

"So?" he challenged her.

"So I won't."

"That's silly, it's your life, you should do what makes you happy."

"Funny you say that, because simply doing what I wanted to do only made me miserable."

"But you are happy with Ted? Come on Robin, don't fool yourself. If you were happy, you would have never agreed to come up to the hotel room with me, and you certainly wouldn't have initiated all these other get together's either." He pointed out.

He could feel her tense up, and knew that he had overstepped a line.

"We've seen each other, what? Three times now? A little presumptuous of you to think that you have figured me out."

He sighed, "you are right, I don't really know how your life with Ted is going, and whether or not he makes you happy. I'm sorry."

He wanted to add that the evidence was clearly pointing in the direction of her not being very happy in the suburban life she had somehow landed in, but he opted for leaving that out.

"Here are my two cents; if you want to go to London, then go. If I have learned one thing in life, then that it's always worth to follow your dreams and aspirations. If he really loves you as much as he claims he does, then Ted will support you."

"It's not that easy, Penny and Luke are in the picture as well, as are my dogs."

"If he really cares about you, then it is that easy Robin." He repeated.


	7. Chapter 7

"Did you take a lot of pictures?" Penny asked once the waitress had taken their order.

"I did, yes." Robin replied.

"We caught one of your segments on Tuesday…well Dad and I did, Penny was still out with her friends." Luke told her.

"Which segment?" Robin asked.

Luke glanced to Ted who immediately jumped in to answer.

Robin couldn't help but grin, she had figured that neither of the kids had actually watched the news with their dad.

She spaced out while Ted went into a detailed account of all the newssegments she had done over the past week that he had seen.

She started to think back to this morning, when she had had breakfast with Ellie and Barney.

She still had no clue what Barney had told his daughter about who she was or why she was suddenly spending the night at their apartment, but Ellie had been very keen on making sure she felt welcome and comfortable.

"Robin?" Ted had clearly noticed that she had spaced out.

"Sorry, what?" she asked.

"You are tired, huh?" he rubbed her arm in sympathy.

Robin shrugged, "long day."

"We'll go home right away." He told her.

"I'll meet up with some friends later, dad." Penny informed them.

"Me too." Luke chipped in.

"But don't stay out too late, it's Sunday." Ted went into dad mode.

Both kids nodded.

Robin bit her lip, she'd been gone a week and both kids weren't going to be home tonight, great.

…

She tried to get into it, she really did, but in her mind she kept comparing Ted and Barney.

Teds kisses were sloppy, compared to Barneys. They suddenly reminded her of how Barney would kiss her when he had a few too many drinks.

However, his hands were a lot more gentle as they roamed her body, and she could feel a distinct tingle that she wasn't experiencing often with Barney.

Damn it, she had to stop thinking about Barney.

"I'm so glad you are home." Ted whispered as he pulled her shirt over her head.

The same shirt she had put on while sharing a bathroom with Barney this morning.

"It's been so long." He added and unhooked her bra.

"Hmm." Robin replied.

"I've missed you." Ted came up and kissed her once more.

…

She wasn't able to ignore the voice in her head, which kept comparing what Ted was doing right now, to what Barney had done the night before.

So instead she had just closed her eyes and let him to his thing.

Which worked out really well for both of them and soon they were both on the verge of an orgasm.

In retrospect she should have stayed in the moment and not closed her eyes, but she hadn't and so she accidentally let Barney's name slip.

Ted's movements came to a stop immediately.

"What?" he asked.

She finally realized her mistake, but tried to mask it, "what's wrong?"

"What did you just say?"

"Nearly there." She tried.

"No, you just said Barney." Ted moved away from her, clearly mad.

"Why would I say Barney, Ted?" she challenged him, even though she knew that she didn't really stand a chance.

"Where you fantasying about him just now?" he asked.

"Ted I didn't say…"

"Robin stop lying, I know you did!" He interrupted her furiously.

She bit her lower lip and reached out to him, "it doesn't mean anything."

"You are picturing your ex-husband when we have sex?" he asked shocked.

"Oh come one, don't make such a big deal out of this Ted. You've called me Tracy at least a dozen times and I never called you out on it."

Ted looked as if he had been caught and averted his gaze.

"That's different, she's dead." He finally whispered.

"And you sometimes still pretend to be sleeping with her and not me."

"But you know that a part of me will always love her, and that that doesn't mean that I love you any less. But Barney…he's your ex-husband Robin, and he's very much alive."

"It was just out of an old habit."

"Do you still have feelings for him?" Ted asked.

"Ted…"

"Just answer the question Robin."

"He was a big part of my life Ted, and sometimes I still think about him, yes. But all that's in the past. You and the kids are my life now." She leaned in to kiss him, but he turned his head.

"Why now?"

"I don't know…travelling to Moscow made me melancholic, it reminded me of how much I used to travel."

"With him." Ted said.

"Well yeah. But it doesn't mean anything Ted, you know it doesn't."

"It's just not fair. He never deserved you in the first place, and now he's haunting our relationship?"

"Ted? Don't go down this road again. You know that I will not let you talk badly about Barney."

"Which is really weird for a divorcee when you think about it." Ted pointed out.

"It was a mutual split. No hard feelings." She replied.

"You clearly never heard how Barney talked about you in the months after the divorce." Ted replied sarcastically.

"Stop that." Robin whispered.

"Why? Cause it could taint this perfect picture you have of him in your mind? Robin, there were reasons why you two got divorced but it seems as if you forgot all of them and only remember the good sides."

"Why does it matter Ted? It's been 15 years, I'm here with you now."

"Yet you fantasize about him."

"Once."

"You got caught once. Who knows how frequently it actually happens." He pointed out.

"It's just fantasizing Ted."

"No it's more than that. It hurts to know that he still has this pull on you."

Robin took a deep breath; she couldn't believe Ted was about to dive into this whole topic now.

"Barney is a playboy Robin! A lying, manipulating playboy who would do anything to get into a girls pants. Why on earth do you still want to be with someone like that? Why did you ever want to be with someone like him?"

"You know he's more than that." Robin replied angrily.

"Did you hear about the things he did after the divorce? He had a perfect month Robin! A whole month of banging random chicks. He even re-wrote the playbook. I mean come on, who deliberately sits down and writes down ways to trick women into sleeping with them. How do you not think that is disgusting?"

"Maybe because I know who he really is Ted." She said through gritted teeth.

"I think it's because you were one of them. Yeah, you guys got married but in the end you were just one of his many conquests."

Robin got up and grabbed a shirt and a pair of sweatpants, before putting them on.

"I wasn't just one of his numbers, Ted."

"You kind of were. I mean Barney even said so himself." Ted shrugged.

"What?" Robin asked surprised.

"The truth stings huh?" Ted challenged her.

Robin just grabbed a blanket from the closet and her pillow before leaving the bedroom.

She ran into Penny on the way downstairs.

"Hey." Penny greeted her, clearly unsure of what to make of this situation.

"I'm sure your father will give you the scope." Robin replied annoyed as she walked past her.

Penny disappeared upstairs, and Robin settled on the couch while her dogs surrounded her.

She pulled her phone out and opened the last text from Barney, quickly typing.

_I'm going to England._

His reply came prompt.

_Ted's supporting it? That's awesome! You are going to rock it, I'm super proud of you. _

She smiled.

_Ted doesn't know yet. We got into a fight. I need to get out of here for a while. _

She could hear steps and pulled the blanket over her head, starring onto her cell phone screen.

_Oh wow…I hope it works out the way you want it to. _

Question was how she wanted things to end up.

_I'm still more than another number to you, right?_

She hit send before she could change her mind.

_Of course Robin, you never were just another number to me, you know that._

She typed her response before she could think too much about it.

_Why did you tell Ted then that I was?_

"Robin?" the couch bended when Ted sat down on it, "can we talk?"

She glanced at her phone once more before locking the screen, Barney hadn't answered yet.

She pulled the covers away, "I'm going to go to England Ted. WWN offered me a job in London, it's a six months long gig and I'm going to say yes."

Ted was clearly shocked to hear that.

"I'm so tired of having to defend myself over and over again. Whether it's Penny who keeps undermining me, or you complaining about my job. I feel trapped. I don't think we stand a chance if I don't get out for a while. We need some distance."

"Robin, you are just running away." Ted whispered.

"Maybe, but I need to get out for a while."

"What happened? I feel like all of a sudden we aren't good enough for you anymore. We were happy, weren't we? But suddenly you are craving alone time and are distancing yourself from us. What did we do?"

"Nothing happened. I just want my independence back. At least for a little while." Robin replied, she felt her phone buzz in her hand but obviously couldn't look at it.

"I thought you dreaded coming back to empty hotel rooms." Ted whispered, referring to a conversation they had had shortly after getting back together.

"Me too, but it felt really liberating last week and I need a break."

"From us?" he asked defeated.

Robin whished she would have known how Barney had answered her question prior to having to answer this.

One of her dogs moved around and hence reminded her that she couldn't just charge into the unknown without the support of Ted.

"No." She replied and took his hand.

"Six months, huh?"

Robin nodded.

"London?"

"Yep."

"Sounds like the kids are going to get to know Britain this summer."

Robin smiled, "you are okay with this?"

Ted shrugged, "not excessively, but I love you, and if this is what you want to do, then I'll support you."

She grinned and leaned forward to kiss him, "thank you."

"Now let's get you back upstairs." He grabbed the covers and started walking towards the stairs.

"I'll be right there." Robin replied, walking towards the kitchen, pulling her phone out to read Barney's text.

_I was hurt and said things I shouldn't have. I'm sorry. I never meant any of it. You are, and have always been, the One for me. _

Robin quickly turned the screen off, yeah, going to England and getting some distance from this messy situation she had maneuvered herself into would be good.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"Hey, what's up?" Robin asked while croaking her neck to ensure that all five dogs were still in close proximity.

"Can you talk?" Barney asked.

"Yeah, I'm just walking the dogs." She replied.

"I need to ask you for a huge favor, and I get it if you are busy or don't want to do it, but I figured I could at least ask."

"What's up?" She asked intrigued.

"So tonight is a father-daughter dance at Ellie's school, her second one, and she's been really on the fence about going, but I of course want to take her and I loved the one last year, but come to find out, the other kids teased her about it for a while because she was wearing a costume…which technically is true, but it was a Disney princess dress and she looked adorable in it and really loved it too, anyways, now she doesn't want to go at all and doesn't trust my judgment regarding appropriate dresses either which made me think that maybe, if you had time, and since you are the most fashionable girl I've ever met and always wear killer dresses, not that I'm saying she should wear a _killer_ dress, it has to be appropriate…"

"Barney, get to the point." Robin interrupted him.

"Right, the point. Would you take her dress shopping today? I know it's super short notice but I didn't know the whole back story until this morning and it's Saturday so I figured you might have time…"

"Yes."

"Yes?" he asked surprised.

"Yes, I'll go with her."

"Are you serious?"

"Don't make me change my mind Barney."

"I'm not, it's just…I wasn't expecting that you would actually agree, but that is awesome! I will pay for everything, and I mean everything, if you find a dress you like along the way then I'll pay for that too. You have no idea what this means to me Robin."

"I won't be in the city until one though, does that give us enough time? When is her dance?"

"At seven, I think that should be fine. If you want we can meet somewhere, that might save some time."

"Sure, how about in front of Macy's in Herald Square at one?"

"Perfect, we could grab a quick lunch too."

"Sounds good." Robin replied and whistled for her dogs.

…

"Ted?" Robin called out as she walked back into the house.

"In the study." He replied.

She took a few more steps until she was standing in the doorframe, "I'm going shopping, can you take Luke to his soccer practice?"

"That's not for another two hours." Ted said as he checked his watch.

"I'll head into the city." Robin replied.

"Really? If you want I can see if Penny can take him and accompany you."

"I'd rather have some alone time actually." Robin replied.

"You are leaving for London in 10 days, don't you think you'll have all the alone-time you need then."

"I'm just going shopping Ted."

"Yeah but you are going into the city for it, that's quite a trip. What do you need anyways?" Ted had gotten up and was walking towards him.

"Are we seriously having a discussion about whether or not I should go to New York to shop for myself right now?" Robin asked.

"I'm just curious."

"No, you are being controlling. As always."

"Robin why is this such a big deal?"

"I don't know, you are making it a big deal, not me."

"I just wanted to spend some time with you before you leave for England."

"The initial plan for the day was that you were going to work on your new project while I took Luke to his practice and fix dinner." Robin reminded him.

"And now you are bailing on us."

"Whatever Ted, I'm not the least in the mood for this right now." She left him standing and walked up the stairs to get changed.

…

Barney and Ellie were already waiting when Robin arrived and she quickly greeted Barney by giving him a hug before turning to Ellie.

The girl looked a little intimidated and Robin decided to give her a hug as well, hoping that it would break the ice.

"Are you excited about tonight?" Robin asked cheerfully as she drew back from Ellie.

Ellie shrugged.

"Yes she is!" Barney exclaimed behind her, "and we are so happy that you came all the way into the city to go shopping with us, right Ellie?"

Ellie nodded.

Robin kept smiling at her, wondering what had brought this change in behavior on?

"So, I was thinking we could grab a quick lunch, I know there is an awesome burgerplace just around the corner." Barney started to lead the way and Ellie und Robin followed.

"Do you know what kind of dress you want?" Robin asked Ellie.

"Not really." She admitted.

"Well, don't worry, we will just try different styles. Do you have a curly iron? My stylist at work just recently showed me an awesome new trick, and I learned some neat braiding techniques that'll pep everything up…but we will just try things out and you can tell me what you like and what not, huh?"

"Doesn't that sound awesome?" Barney beamed.

"I don't have a curly iron."

"That's okay, we'll stop at a drugstore and get you one. Do you have nail polish? And maybe some lip-gloss?" Robin asked.

"I have never worn make-up before." Ellie replied.

"I'll just apply a little, you wont even be able to tell its there, okay?" Robin looked at Barney for confirmation, and he nodded.

"Doesn't all that sound awesome Ell?"

But Ellie was still a little reluctant.

"You'll like it." Robin promised, "and I'll only show you what we can do, I can always take it off again and you can go without, okay?"

Ellie nodded again.

They had reached the burger place and Barney got a table for them.

Barney told Ellie about Robin's plans to move to England.

"She's going to be in London."

"That's where the Big Ben is." Ellie knew.

"Yep. I'll make sure to send you a picture, okay?" Robin asked.

Ellie nodded.

"I want pictures too." Barney said innocently, yet Robin knew exactly what kind of pictures he was hoping for.

"You'll get some too." Robin promised and winked at him.

There was a lull in the conversation and Barney encouraged Ellie to tell Robin about her new hobby.

"I started a dance class."

"Really? What kind of dance?"

"It's a mix of everything." Barney explained.

"Yeah, it's really fun."

"It sounds fun."

"You know, Robin is quite a good dancer herself, maybe she can show you some moves one day." Barney explained.

"Did you take a class too?" Ellie asked.

"No, I just dance all funny." Robin laughed.

"Really?" Ellie asked amused.

"Yeah. Tell her Barney."

Ellie's head shot around to see his response.

"You don't dance all funny all the time, but yeah, there are moments when you are just doing your thing and it's pretty awesome."

Ellie giggled and it reminded Robin that she was still a child, rather than a moody teenager.

"You know Ellie, I've known your dad for a very long time." Robin started and waited until she had the full attention of both Barney and Ellie before continuing, "I can tell you a lot of funny stories from when he was younger."

"Really? Like what?" Ellie asked excited.

"Well, has he ever told you about the teacup pig he used to own?"

Ellie's eyes got wide, "you did? Can we have one now?"

"It was just to…no we can't. Robin?"

But Robin just grinned and continued, "oh and did you know that there is a secret room in your apartment?"

"Hey, not cool." Barney complained.

"There is?" Ellie asked, looking back and forth between the two adults.

Robin nodded, "yep, it's behind your dads bed."

"No way!" Ellie exclaimed.

"Why are you doing this?" Barney asked her amused.

Robin shrugged, "why not?"

"Can you show me daddy?" Ellie whined.

"Two can play at that game Robin…hey Ellie, guess what Robin was when she was a teenager."

"Really?" Robin asked him.

"Really." He replied.

"What were your?" Ellie immediately wanted to know.

"I used to be a semi-famous pop star back in Canada." Robin confessed.

"Oh, like Robin Sparkles?" Ellie asked.

"What?" Robin asked surprised.

"Daddy and I used to listen to her songs when I was younger, right daddy?"

Barney nodded, "you remember that?"

"Of course, we were always listening to them, and you used to sing them to me at night, or when I was upset." Ellie reminded him.

Robin and Barney's eyes met for a few seconds.

"So what kind of songs did you have?"

"Actually…I was Robin Sparkles." Robin confessed.

"Really? But she is blond." Ellie pointed out.

"Yeah, I changed my hair color."

"That's so cool. I can't believe you didn't tell me that Robin Sparkles was coming over the other day daddy."

Barney grinned.

"What did he tell you instead?" Robin asked.

"That a really good friend was in town and needed a place to crash for the night." Barney explained.

"Yeah." Ellie nodded, "and that it was important that I made you feel welcomed and not make a scene like the night you went to watch the musical together."

Barney scratches the back of his head and said, "I might have told her about that too."

"What else has your dad told you about me?" Robin asked intrigued.

"Well…he told me that you were very pretty... and that you had just gotten back from Russia. That you have five dogs, but no kids. And that you like to play laser tag, just as daddy and I do."

Robin smiled, "yeah I do. Maybe we can play a round sometimes."

"That'd be awesome." Ellie grinned, "and you have to show me the secret room in our apartment if daddy doesn't, okay?"

Robin and agreed, "deal."

She should probably make sure that he hadn't deposited all the sex toys in there first though.

…

Robin had send Barney home after lunch, she wanted the dress to be a surprise for him, besides, waiting in front of fitting rooms had never been his strong suit.

Ellie was very quiet at first, so Robin tried to establish a conversation.

"You are okay with being alone with me, right? I thought it would be a much better surprise if Barney doesn't see you until everything is ready." Robin explained.

Ellie nodded, "that's a good idea."

She still didn't seem completely at ease.

"I noticed you ordered pizza, is that your favorite dish?" Robin asked.

"Pizza and burritos. What are yours?" Ellie replied.

"Both good choices, I like Chinese, and Sushi."

"I think daddy likes Sushi too."

"But you don't?" Robin asked.

"Well, it's okay I guess."

"Maybe that's one of those foods you don't truly like until you are older." Robin guessed.

"You know what else I like? Lasagna. The mother of my friend, Ana, makes the best lasagna ever."

"Really?" Robin asked, glad that they were having a real conversation.

"Yeah, she sometimes makes one for daddy and me." Ellie nodded.

Robin pulled an eyebrow up, "she does?"

"Yeah."

Even though interrogating a kid wasn't something she was proud of, as a journalist she had to ask, "does she make two then? I mean if she makes one for you and Barney then Ana and her dad wouldn't get anything, that seems mean."

Ellie laughed, "they just eat with us silly."

Robin nodded, "that's nice. So is Ana coming with her father tonight too?"

Elli shrugged, "I don't think so, her parents got divorced and now Ana never gets to see her father."

Robin nodded and asked, "so when they come over for dinner, do they stay for movie night too?"

"No, that would be weird."

"Why?" Robin asked.

"Because we have movie night in the bedroom. Ana and her mom don't go there." Ellie laughed.

Robin grinned, "Why would that be weird? I joined you for movie night."

"Yeah, but that's different."

"Why?"

"Because daddy really likes you…"

"He might really like Ana's mom too, I mean she makes him Lasagna, right?" Robin pointed out.

"Yeah but he doesn't like her the way he likes you."

"What do you mean?"

Ellie shrugged and giggled before signaling Robin to lean down so she could whisper something in her ear, "I saw you and daddy kiss."

The giggling continued and Robin couldn't help but find this childish innocence adorable.

"You did?" Robin asked.

Ellie nodded, "the other morning, it was disgusting."

Robin laughed and got back up, "soon you won't find it disgusting anymore, trust me."

Ellie disagreed, "on the mouth? That's just so eww."

"So I take it you haven't kissed a boy yet?" Robin asked.

"What? Of course not, it's disgusting. I mean sure Peter kissed me on the cheek that one time, but it was only on the cheek." Ellie explained.

Robin wondered if Barney knew about Peter.

"So, is Peter someone special?"

"No." But she blushed immediately.

"So he is." Robin grinned, "don't be embarrassed, that's what girlfriends do during shopping trips, talk about boys."

Ellie started to beam immediately, "really?"

Robin nodded, "yep. So is Peter in your class?"

Ellie nodded, "he got me a valentines card."

"That's sweet of him."

"Yeah. Can I ask you something too?"

"Anything you want." Robin replied.

Ellie hesitated for another second before asking, "is my dad special to you?"

"As in do I love him?" Robin asked, Ellie nodded.

Robin smiled and squatted back down, "I'll only tell you if you don't tell him."

"I won't."

"Yeah, he is."

Ellie's smile got wider.

Robin smiled, she couldn't believe that she had just confessed her feelings to Barney's kid.

And she certainly couldn't believe how excited said kid was about it.

…

It had taken a while but they had finally found a really nice dress and shoes for Ellie.

Afterwards they had spend almost an hour in a drug store.

Especially going through the make-up aisle had taken forever. It seemed as if Ellie had never before really been in there before and so Robin ended up explaining and showing her all kinds of things.

They bought a few things, such as a light pink lipgloss, some eye shadow and a mascara.

And of course a curly iron and a real hair dryer.

"There you are!" Barney exclaimed as he opened the door to let them in.

"Wow, looks like you two found a lot of good stuff."

"We did, but now we are running late."

"I'll jump in the shower." Ellie replied, quickly stopping at her dads to give him a kiss before running off.

"Call me when you are ready." Robin called after her.

"Looks like you two are getting along good." Barney observed.

Robin nodded, "we had a good time, you raised a very polite and fun kid Barney."

"Shocking, right?" he joked.

"No, I always thought you'd make a good dad." Robin replied.

"I try my best, so, did you find everything?" he looked into the first bag and Robin snatched it away.

"No looking."

"Fine." He said as he stepped closer, placing his arms around her waist, "thanks again for doing this."

"I'm really enjoying it Barney." Robin replied and leaned in to kiss him.

Ellie's words about it being disgusting rang in her eyes and she drew back, "your daughter watched us kiss the other day."

"Really?" he asked surprised.

Robin nodded, "thought it was disgusting."

"Oh god, did she see us make out?"

"I don't think so. But guess she's not used to it." Robin started to rub his chest, and slowly continued, "guess you and Ana's mom are better at hiding."

"What?" Barney asked surprised, "I don't have anything going on with Jen."

Robin grinned and kissed him once more, "not?"

"No, I wouldn't start anything with one of Ellie's friends mothers."

Robin leaned in and kissed him again, "anyone else then?"

Barney grinned against her lips, "really? You are practically married to Ted, if someone should be jealous than me."

"Exactly, I disclosed everything to you."

"No you didn't." Barney replied.

"Well, not initially. I just want to know if there is anyone else in the picture. It's fine if there is, I just need to know."

"I know you have skillfully avoided answering or acknowledging my text the other day, but I really meant what I wrote Robin."

She kissed him again, she wasn't ready to have the talk yet.

"Robin? I'm ready." Ellie shouted from the bathroom and Robin stepped back, collected the bags and left him standing there, "you should get ready too. And wear something nice, you are going to be taking the cutest girl ever to that ball."

Ellie was standing in her little pink bathrobe and wet hair in front of her, clearly exciting about the whole thing.

"Okay, we'll start with your hair, okay?" Robin said as she placed all the plastic bags on the counter.

"Okay." Ellie nodded and grabbed one of the bags to help her unpack.

"You want curls, right?"

"Yes."

"Okay, let's start with that and then I'll do just a little braid on one side, if you don't like it then I'll take it out again, deal?"

Ellie nodded.

It took longer than she had planned, but the hair turned out exactly as Robin had envisioned it.

"Wow." Ellie said as she was looking at herself in the mirror, "that looks really good."

"You like it?"

"A LOT!"

"Can I see?" came Barney's voice through the door.

It made Robin and Ellie laugh, "not yet." They screamed in unison.

"And stop eavesdropping." Robin added.

"Okay, now let's get the dress on and then I'll do your make-up." Robin said as she checked her watch, it was already after six.

…

"Ready?" Robin called out.

"Yes." Barney shouted back.

Robin grinned and opened to door.

Barney's face lit up the second he saw his daughter, who herself was beaming from ear to ear.

"Wow, you look like a real princess."

"Right?" Ellie asked excited.

"There is just one think missing."

"What?" Ellie asked, spinning around to see herself in the mirror once more.

"This." Barney got down on his knees and showed her a flower corsage.

Ellie giggle and held her arm out so he could put it on her, "I didn't know what color your dress would be so I just went with pink."

Barney got back up and turned towards Robin, "I got you one too, as a thank you."

She smiled and held her arm out as well, grinning while he slipped it on her hand.

"Thank you Barney."

"No thank you."

"Yeah, thank you Robin." Ellie agreed.

"Well, I want to take picture of you two before you head out." Robin said and pulled her phone out.

Barney squatted down and put his arm around his daughter, while both smiled widely for the picture.

"Perfect."

"And now one of you two." Barney said.

Ellie immediately walked towards Robin.

"Nice."

"Okay now you have to get going, the dance will start soon." Robin said as she walked back into the bathroom to clean up the mess they had made.

"Leave that, I'll do that later." Barney stopped her.

"Okay." Robin straightened his tie, "have fun."

He nodded, "thanks again for making this day so special for her. I could have never done this."

…

The flower corsage didn't go unnoticed by Ted and the kids.

Of course that didn't come as a surprise to Robin, but she hadn't wanted to take it off.

"Who got you that?" Penny asked as she inspected her arm.

"A flower shop in the city gave them out as a promotion."

"Really?" Ted asked, "seems like an odd thing to give out. Why not give away flowers?"

"Because everyone does that?" Robin replied.

"And you didn't get anything else?"

Robin shook her head, "nope, I didn't really see anything I really liked."

"You were gone a long time." Luke noted.

"Yeah, sorry I missed your practice."

He just shrugged.

"So did you meet anyone while you were in the city?" Penny asked.

"Is that the beginning of an interrogation?"

"Just a question." Penny replied.

Robin rolled her eyes, which Ted saw and interjected, "kids I think we should just let Robin get her dinner warmed up, instead of going on her nerves with all these questions."

"Thanks Ted." Robin smiled and kissed him as she walked by. She missed his mouth but he probably thought it happened because she was walking as she did it, and not because she actually aimed for somewhere else form the beginning.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

The goodbye was rather formal; a few hugs, the usual phrases, a quick kiss and she was through security and by herself.

She took a deep breath and headed towards a coffee shop.

Finally.

Last night had been rough, between packing, Penny's mind games, Luke's yearning for attention, and Ted's constant reminders that this would be the last night they'd spend together in the next few months.

She ordered a latte macchiato, and while waiting for the beverage, it occurred to her that she would be truly free for the next six months.

No soccer practices, no food she didn't like, no Ted bugging her at night and no Penny challenging her.

She got a real break, and it would be awesome.

She finally got her drink and started walking towards the boarding area. Her flight wasn't scheduled to board for another fifteen minutes and she was going to use the time to scan her work e-mails.

Someone tapped her on the shoulder and she turned around, almost dropping the drink when she recognized Barney.

"What are you doing here?" she asked surprised.

"You didn't think I would let you get on that flight without saying goodbye, did you?" he asked delighted.

"How did you even get into this area?" she asked, still baffled.

"Please."

Robin smiled and drew him into a hug, "you are one of a kind Barney, you know that?"

"I knew Ted and his sidekicks would be around too so I had to be creative." He shrugged.

"Thanks for coming."

Barney nodded and pulled something out of his suit pocket, "Ellie wanted me to give this to you."

He took her drink so she could unfold the piece of paper.

It was a drawing depicting three people, based on the choice of hairstyles and clothing Robin guessed that it was supposed to be the three of them the day she had helped her get ready for the Father-Daughter Dance. Five creatures, that Robin guessed were supposed to be her dogs, filled the background.

It made her grin, "wow."

"She's not the most talented painter." Barney shrugged, "she's much more a math person, you know?"

"I think it's great." Robin whispered, and then louder, "can you tell her that I loved it? I will write her a card too."

Barney nodded, "will do."

They just stood there for a moment, as Robin was still engrossed in the drawing.

"Are you excited?" Barney finally asked.

Robin looked up and nodded, "yeah, I am."

Barney nodded and showed her the plastic bag he was holding, "Ellie and I got you something else."

"Really?" Robin asked intrigued.

Barney nodded and pulled something leathery out of the bag. It took Robin a second to realize that it was an ipad in a Dolce and Gabbana sleeve.

He handed it to her.

"What?" she asked.

"Turn it on." He instructed.

Robin opened the sleeve, the lock screen appeared, showing the picture she took of Barney and Ellie all dressed up.

It made her smile.

"0525 is the code." He explained.

She grinned and entered it.

The home-screen showed the same picture of Barney and Ellie.

"Configuring it has been Ellie's and mine project for the past week. We put a ton of pictures you might like on there, movies and shows we thought you would enjoy, some cool music…just stuff to make the long flight and lonely nights in London more fun."

Robin opened the pictures and scanned the different folders.

There was one labeled "Ellie", "Travelling", "Us" and lastly, "!For ur eyes only!".

It made her laugh.

"I also pre-installed skype and put myself into the contacts." Barney explained, "oh, and there are some good podcasts I think you'll like. And this app right here."

He went back to the homescreen and showed her an icon displaying a little Big Ben, "has everything you could possibly need to get around in London."

"This is incredible." Robin whispered and looked back up, he could tell that she was close to tears and shrugged.

"It's just a little something. Now Ellie insisted on putting some of her favorite songs and movies on there too, so don't be surprised if something random pops up."

Robins finger hovered over the screen and she opened the movie icon to see what was there.

"There are also some e-books on it, I hope you haven't read them yet, and of course you'll need these." Barney pulled a pair of headphones out of his pocket.

"Barney this is the most amazing gift I've ever gotten." She leaned forward and kissed him.

"It's just a little something so you won't forget about Ellie and me."

Robin looked back at the ipad for a moment, he could tell that she was fighting with tears and pulled her into a tight hug, careful not to spill her coffee.

It only made her cry harder.

"Hey, I've never seen you this emotional at the airport before, what's the matter?" he whispered.

She shrugged and clung even tighter onto him.

"You are going to be kicking ass in London, hmm? It'll be an awesome adventure." he whispered.

She finally stood back up, "I know…it's just really sweet of you to do this."

Barney smiled, "I'm glad you like it."

He gently wiped her tears away and kissed her once more.

Robin cleared her throat, "I'm sorry that I'm just leaving like that, it's not because of you or because I'm trying to run away from this. I just need to get out and re-evaluate my life. I need some distance."

"I know and I get it." Barney whispered.

"Really? Because I don't want to give you the impression that this," she waved between them, "was the trigger for me leaving. This time it wasn't. There is so much between us and I don't want to jeopardize it again."

"You aren't. I installed skype, remember? We'll stay in touch."

"But what if you meet someone else? I know this sounds silly because I'm still with Ted and have no right to say anything about it, but a lot can happen in six months."

"Robin?" he asked and cupped her face, "yes, a lot can happen in six months, including you deciding that staying with Ted is ultimately what you want, but there is one thing that won't happen, and that's me falling in love with someone else. I mean if it hasn't happened in the last fifteen years when you weren't remotely in my life, then it sure as hell won't happen now that we are…friends again."

She looked back down at the ipad and he added, "you aren't going to get swept off your feet by some dude with an erotic British accent though, right?"

She shook her head, and winked, "I'm way too old these days to handle three men at the same time."

He laughed, and pointed towards the gate where people were already boarding the flight.

"It's time for you to go."

She nodded, "thanks again Barney."

He drew her into another kiss and subsequent hug.

They stood there for a second before Barney tilted his head and whispered, "I love you", into her ear.

He let her go afterwards, "go, or you won't be able to put your carry on in the overhead bin."

She nodded and wiped her tears away, "skype tomorrow?"

"It's a date."

She smiled and finally turned around, digging for her ticket while simultaneously balancing the drink, ipad and large purse.

It wasn't until she was settled in her seat, the new ipad on her lap, that she pulled her phone out to type a quick message before take-off.

_I love you too._


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Robin spend the entire flight looking at the ipad.

She started with browsing through the pictures.

There were a ton of pictures of Ellie, depicting the little girl throughout the years.

From a tiny baby laying on Barney's breast, to a toddler grinning widely into the camera.

Barney, or Ellie, had made sure that every big moment that had been caught on camera were on the ipad.

It took Robin a long time to go through them all, seeing Barney as a father was still odd, but she enjoyed seeing that side of him, and seeing Ellie grow up right in front of her eyes was great.

The next folder was full of pictures of Barney and her. She was surprised that he had kept them all. There were pictures from their wedding day, from their travels, from hanging out with the gang.

In some they were posing, in others kissing, and some were just snapshots of their lives together.

She didn't dare to open the folder "!For ur eyes only!" on the plane where other people could potentially walk by and see them.

There was a folder full of little videos and she plugged her headphones in and started the first one.

Ellie and Barney were waving in the camera, "Hi Robin, I hope you will have a great time in London." Ellie started out and Barney nodded and added, "have fun and awesomize that place!" "And have a good flight!" Ellie added, "we hope you are enjoying the ipad and we can't wait for you to come back to the States and hang out with you again, right Ellie?" Ellie nodded, "yeah!" "Bye!" Barney finished and Ellie waved in the camera once more.

Robin starred at the screen. How was it that Barney's daughter was so okay with her, when Penny and Luke weren't.

Or maybe that's just what happens with time. They used to be excited about her moving in and being part of their family, but then something changed.

Probably just because normalcy set in eventually.

She clicked on the next video and literally laughed out loud when "Let's go to the Mall" started playing and a much younger Ellie was dancing to it.

…

"So glad you and Ellie could come tonight." James said as he handed Barney a beer.

Tom and the kids were outside barbequing, while Barney set the table in the dining room.

"I know." Barney nodded.

"So what's been going on?" James asked.

Barney hesitated but then decided to tell him about Robin.

"Well, earlier today I did something extremely cheesy and romantic."

"What?" James asked surprised.

"In an attempt to get a girl who is in a committed relationship with another man." He thought about it for a second, "huh, that sounds a lot more pathetic when I say it out loud."

"Hold on, you've met a girl? Where?"

"The banquet I went to a few weeks ago."

"Did she seem into you too? Cause if not then doing something cheesy and romantic for a girl who's in a relationship with someone else is kind of worrisome."

"I think so…I mean we hooked up a couple of times."

"No way!"

"Yes way, but it's complicated."

"Well duh, please make sure the other guy doesn't catch you two in bed and shoots you or something."

Barney grinned and tried to imaging it, "I don't think you have anything to worry about there."

"I can't believe you are actually smitten for a girl. I honestly didn't think I would ever see the day of that happening again."

"What? Why?" Barney asked amused.

"Because it seemed as if you were never going to get over Robin." James replied matter of factly.

Barney swallowed and turned around to hide his face, "we are still missing the butter for the corn."

He could tell that James was watching him, "you aren't really over Robin, are you?"

"I don't want to talk about the past James, instead I'm looking forward to what the future may bring."

"It's just…don't be selfish, I mean this girl could give up everything to be with you, it's not fair if she does so without knowing that you have a ton of package, and feelings, good and bad, towards your ex-wife."

"As I said, it's complicated. But I want the trouble, for her I do."

James nodded, "she must be pretty special. What about Ellie? Does she know?"

Barney shrugged, "not really. She has met her, and I guess she has seen us kiss too, but I don't think she understands the whole dimension of this. Right now it's just something new and exciting, and she's kind of playing mini cupid, but I think I'll have to sit her down and really talk to her about it at some point."

"They have met?" James asked surprised.

Barney nodded, "yeah. They went on a shopping trip together too."

Barney chuckled when he remembered what Ellie had told him that night at the dance, "apparently Ellie asked her whether or not she had feelings for me," he grinned and added, "she does. But don't tell anyone about it, Ellie made me promise that I would never tell anyone that she spilled the beans."

"So do you think she'll leave the other guy for you?" James asked.

Barney shrugged, "I honestly don't know. And neither do I know what would be if she actually did leave him."


	11. Chapter 11

**Skype I**

"London's calling." Barney joked as he answered the skype invitation from Robin.

"Hey." She replied.

"How was the flight? And how is London thus far?"

"The flight was great, thanks to you and Ellie."

"You liked it?"

"I loved it." Robin replied, "best gift I've ever gotten."

Barney grinned, "glad to hear that. So how is London?"

"Well I've only been here three hours, so…" she shrugged.

He nodded.

"How was your day?" she asked.

"Good, Ellie and I spend the afternoon at Tom and James' house BBQing."

"How are they doing? Man it's been so long that I've seen your brother."

"They are doing good, the kids are all grown and out of the house already, but they have adjusted well to that and are enjoying their new found freedom."

"Crazy how quickly time flies."

Barney nodded, "I know, and I think it's speeding up more and more."

"That's probably because you are so busy with Ellie."

"Maybe."

"Oh, Ted is calling, can I call you back in ten minutes?" She asked.

"Sure." He replied, even though he really wanted to ask her if she had to answer his call right away.

"Thanks, I'll be quick."

She ended the call with Barney and accepted Ted's incoming call.

"Hey babe." Ted was clearly sitting in bed, his naked chest on display.

"Hi." Robin replied, suddenly aware that she was also lounging in bed.

"Did you have a good flight?"

"Yeah." Robin replied as she got up to walk over to the couch, "how was you guy's day?"

"Good, we miss you though. Which is why I just booked the flights. We are leaving the day after school's out and will be there for two weeks."

"Oh, really?" Robin asked, quickly jotting the dates down in her calendar.

"Yeah, Penny and Luke were so excited about it, they really miss you too, you know?"

Robin smiled, "well, tell them I miss them as well."

"Will do. So tell me, what's been going on thus far? How is the apartment?"

"It's great and right in walking distance to the Tower Bridge. You guys will like it."

"Oh I know, we will have so much fun!"

"Yeah." Robin nodded and simultaneously pulled the chat with Barney up to type,

_Almost finished, just one more minute._

"I know I was reluctant about you doing this but I've got to say, maybe this is exactly what we needed. And I mean the trip to the UK will be amazing, the kids have never been overseas and just spending that time, bonding, will be good for our family." Ted said.

Just hearing those words made Robin cringe, "yeah."

She checked the chat with Barney who had answered,

_That's what she said._

It made her smile.

"What's so funny?" Ted asked.

"Nothing." Robin replied and concentrated on him once more, "do you have anything else to talk about right now? I'm really tired and was looking forward to a nice, hot, bath."

"Well, we could keep skyping." Ted suggested.

Robin gave him an annoyed look, "are you serious right now?"

Ted contemplated his answer for a second, "yes?"

Robin rolled her eyes, said "good night Ted," and ended the call.

She immediately started another conversation with Barney.

"Sorry about that." She said.

He shrugged, "it's fine."

But she could tell that something was bothering him, and hence asked, "are you mad?"

Barney shook his head, "nah…I was just wondering something, but it's a personal question and I don't think we are at the point where we ask these kinds of questions yet, so I'll just save it for later."

"I make you a deal. You get to ask me whatever is going through your mind right now, and I will give you an honest answer, but then I get to ask you a personal question too."

"Sounds good." Barney replied immediately.

"Okay, shoot." Robin asked.

"Why did Ted happen? I mean... I thought you were completely over him."

Robin pulled her feet up on the couch, "I was. But I was also in a really weird place when he showed up with the blue French horn again and I just…I don't know, let him rescue me? That sounds so lame and dependent."

"What was going on in your life at that time?" Barney asked.

"I'd spend over a decade travelling the world by myself, and then suddenly I found myself back in New York and…I don't know, for the first time my life slowed down enough for me to realize things." She shrugged, "I was just kind of lost, and I thought the dogs would help, and they did, but they also made everything even sadder. I'd always been on the go, and then suddenly I was sitting in an apartment with five dogs and no real purpose…I know I still have my job, and I still love that aspect of my life, but I … I don't know."

"Yes you do, tell me." He prompted her gently.

She hesitated and looked at him, "I guess for the first time I truly realized what I had lost when we got divorced Barney."

He started to nod, "I know what you mean. I had the same realization, it happened a lot sooner for me, but that was probably just because I actually came home to an empty apartment after Argentina and it kind of hit me in the face."

Robin nodded, "how did you deal with it?"

Barney shrugged, "I dove right back into my womanizing ways. Honestly, I'm still surprised that I survived those first couple of weeks, I mean, I was out of control."

"You were?"

He nodded, "I hooked up with married women, skipped condoms whenever skanks let me get away with it, and all in all wasn't really respectful towards anyone."

She swallowed, "Barney, I'm so sorry, I didn't…"

"It wasn't your fault, we both weren't happy anymore. We both decided to get a divorce."

"I know, but I sometimes think, maybe, if I wouldn't have brought it up that day? If I would have just kept my mouth shut we could still be happy."

"We weren't happy anymore Robin." He whispered.

She nodded, "I'm really sorry Barney. I let my career destroy us, and I'm so sorry that that happened."

"It wasn't your fault. It was no-ones fault really." Barney replied.

"It was my career that ruined everything, therefore it was my fault."

"I could have been more supportive." He replied shrugging.

"You were, but I didn't see the sacrifices you were already making for us while I didn't make any."

"Robin…do you regret the divorce?" He asked point blank.

"Don't you?" she asked right back.

He swallowed, "yes and no. I missed you so much, you have no idea. I came back to New York but nothing was the same anymore. Lily, Marshall, Ted and Tracy were all in family mode and didn't have time to hang out with their pathetic, divorced, single friend. I wasn't just going through a divorce, but I had also lost my best friend in the world. You know how many times I dialed your number to tell you something before realizing that I couldn't do that anymore? It was cruel. But if we hadn't gotten a divorce, I wouldn't have had Ellie, and obviously I wouldn't change having her."

Robin whipped a tear away, "I'm still sorry for putting you through everything."

"Stop apologizing, it wasn't your fault. We are both to blame…besides, I don't want to think about the past anymore."

"But we can't just ignore it either. We both suffered Barney, and now we are going down this path again, I feel like history will repeat itself if we don't resolve these issues and start talking about what happened."

He rubbed his face with his hand, "maybe yes, but not right now right?"

Robin looked at him for a moment before she started to nod, "okay, not right now then."

She paused for a moment before continuing, "anyways, all that played a role in me getting back together with Ted."

Barney nodded, "and? Did it make you happy?"

"That's such a hard and unfair question Barney. Ted is a good guy, and he would do anything for me."

Barney nodded, "do you love him?"

Robin looked around the room, "why would you ask me that?"

"Cause I need to know Robin."

"No you don't. Knowing the answer to that question doesn't change anything."

"Yes it changes everything. Robin I only agreed to this liaison because I figured you didn't actually love him. But if you do, and I'm still pursuing you, then I'm basically trying to steal my bro's girl."

"You aren't bro's anymore. You aren't even friends anymore."

"It doesn't matter. Stealing another man's girl is a despicable thing to do."

"Since when do you care? You just told me that you slept with married women!"

"Yes but I didn't try to steal them! Robin this isn't just about sex for me, I want you back."

Their argument had gotten louder and headed, but suddenly they were both completely silent.

Robin rubbed her forehead, "look…it's been a long day. Can we just continue this some other time?"

Barney sighed, "I didn't mean... Robin I'm taking whatever I can get. If it's a few more skype conversations, then that's great. A few more secret nights? Awesome. I'm not going to pressure you into anything though. It's completely up to you. I just don't want to put you in any predicament and neither do I want to edge into a relationship that actually makes you happy."

"Stop overthinking this."

"Stop ignoring the possible consequences." He replied angrily.

"Daddy?" someone suddenly asked behind him.

"Ellie!" Robin quickly exclaimed, "how are you doing?"

She hoped that her enthusiasm was enough to overshadow whatever the little girl had just overheard of their argument.

"Good." Ellie said tentatively, looking back and forth between the computer and her father.

"Come here." Barney said and pulled her onto his lap.

"I LOVE the picture you drew, and all the fun things you put on the ipad." Robin said.

"Really?" Ellie asked.

"Really! Thank you."

Ellie looked at her dad and grinned widely.

"I'll have some time tomorrow, so my plan was to go shopping for souvenirs to send you." Robin explained.

"Like what?" Ellie asked excited.

"You've just got to wait and see." Robin teased her.

"Do I get something too?" Barney asked.

Robin nodded, "guess you too have to wait and see."

Barney grinned right back.

"Well, I'm really tired so how about we continue this some other time?"

"Just ping me whenever you have time, okay?" Barney asked.

Robin nodded, "will do. Have fun in school tomorrow Ellie."

"Thanks. Have fun in London!"

"I will."

"Miss you." Barney said as he started waving at the camera, prompting Ellie to mirror his move immediately.

"Miss you guys too." Robin replied and waved back at them before disconnecting the call.


	12. Chapter 12

**Skype II**

"Anyway, that was pretty much my day." Barney finished.

"Sounds stressful." Robin replied and popped another peanut into her mouth.

"Actually pretty much the norm around here."

Robin nodded, "which reminds me, I still get to ask you a question, remember?"

Barney sighed, "man, I was hoping you had forgotten about it."

Robin smiled, "as if. But it's not anything bad actually."

"Okay, shoot, ask me anything you want."

"How was it to hold Ellie for the first time?"

"That's the question you chose? Really?" he asked.

She nodded, "but you have to give me a honest answer, remember?"

"Okay, it was truly amazing."

"Barney, I want to know how you really felt. The whole story."

He nodded, "okay, fine, here it goes. Truth be told, I wasn't very excited about the prospect of becoming a father at all, and I initially didn't want to see or hold her at all. But the gang made me, and then a nurse placed her into my arms and it was…love at first sight."

Robin began to smile, "really?"

"Yeah. I mean I was scared out of my mind just holding her, she was tiny, even smaller than Marvin had been when we first met him. But she mesmerized me, and I swore right then and there that I would always be there for her."

"She stole your heart, huh?"

Barney nodded, "yeah, you know how everyone always says that its love at first sight when you met your kid? It's totally true. I was reluctant to even see her, and within seconds I knew that I would do anything for this little bundle."

Robin still smiled, but he realized that this conversation must still be hard on her.

"I'm really sorry Robin."

"What for?" she asked confused.

"For letting you down."

"What do you mean?" she asked, popping another peanut she had just cracked open into her mouth.

"You never had that."

Robin was clearly confused, "had what?"

"You never got to hold your child for the first time, you never felt this bang of love."

"Yeah because I didn't want kids." She replied confused.

Barney shook his head, "you told yourself you didn't want them because you were told that you couldn't have any."

"Barney, why are we having this conversation?" Robin asked.

"Cause, as your husband, I should have dug deeper. You would have been an amazing mother, but you never let yourself even think about the possibility of having kids. I shouldn't have let it go as easily too."

"You know I couldn't have kids."

"Do I? We never got a second opinion, we never checked all the possibilities, we never considered other ways of having kids."

"Why are you bringing this up now?" Robin asked.

"Because I feel really bad about it. Ever since I had Ellie I understood what it truly meant to have a kid, and you never had that. And it's my fault."

"It's not your fault, I never wanted kids to begin with."

"Except that you held Marvin an entire night once because you couldn't take your eyes off of him, and you stole his, Daisy's and Penny's baby socks and hid them in the back of your underwear drawer."

"What?"

"I accidentally found them when I was packing for Egypt that one time, you had decided to take a direct flight from L.A. and we were meeting up there so I bought all kinds of stuff." He explained.

Robin had put the peanuts away.

"I regret that I always skeet around the subject, rather than addressing it and having a honest conversation about it." Barney finished.

"Barney, me not having kids is not your fault."

He shrugged.

"I never wanted to be a mother Barney."

"You never explored that possibility because you always thought that it wasn't one." He replied.

Robin sighed, "you know what? It doesn't matter. I'm content with not being a mother."

Barney hesitated but finally just nodded, "yeah, I know."

"So you fell in love with Ellie the moment you held her for the first time, huh?" Robin asked, clearly eager to change the subject back to her initial question.

"I did, yeah. I didn't think it was possible, I mean, I was terrified when I found out about the pregnancy."

"Really?"

"Oh, completely!"

"But you always wanted kids of your own."

"Not really though, and certainly not like that…not with her. The first couple of days were tough, I was pitying myself and didn't get why this had to happen to me."

"Skipping condoms probably had something to do with it." Robin grinned.

Barney laughed, "yeah, I know…. I really wanted to call you, you know? You were the only person on the face of the planet I felt like I could talk to about this, but of course you were also the last person on earth I could talk to about it." He shook his head, "I dialed your number so many times, you have no idea."

"You could have called, Barney."

"No I couldn't. That would have been insensitive, and cruel."

"No it wouldn't have been. You were going through something difficult and needed someone to talk to about it, I could have been that person."

"Yeah cause no-one is better to talk to about an unwanted pregnancy than your infertile ex-wife." Barney replied sarcastically.

Robin sighed, "when did we become these people?"

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"We used to be able to talk to each other about everything, I mean even after our first break-up we did, we somehow managed to stay friends. Why did everything get so screwed up between us?"

"Guess that's just normal, right? Who stays friends after getting a divorce?"

Robin shrugged and retorted, "who stays friends after a break-up?"

"But, let's face it, there were too many feelings and un-resolved issues between us to just move on and stay friends."

"You still could have called me Barney, no matter what happened between us, I would have been there for you."

He smiled, "thanks…you know, you could have always called me too, no matter what or where you were, I would have been there for you."

They just smiled at each other for a moment.

"Anyway…I should probably let you go." Barney finally said.

Robin nodded, "yeah, I need to get ready, don't I?"

"Talk to you tomorrow morning?" he asked.

"Same time?" she asked as she collected the bag of peanuts she had gotten from the mini-bar prior to skyping with him.

Barney nodded, he loved that she was comfortable enough to skype with him this early in the morning, without worrying about putting on make-up, fixing her hair, or putting on cute clothes.

"Have a great day Robin."


	13. Chapter 13

**The Talk**

"I know I promised you a house, but I only managed to get this unit. But, in case we do leave this apartment in the next 48 hours, which I don't really plan on btw, then there is a swimming pool with a hot tub area." Barney explained as they stepped into the apartment he had rented for the weekend.

"I like your plan of staying inside." Robin grinned and let her bag glide to the floor.

Barney, who had carried her suitcase and his own luggage, maneuvered them around until they were securely standing as well.

Robin grabbed the "Do not Disturb" sign and put it outside before locking the door.

"I like the way you think." Barney said and pulled her into his arms.

"Welcome back to the US." He whispered.

"Thanks for taking a weekend off to greet me."

"I did that for selfish reasons." Barney replied before kissing her.

They started to make out and didn't seize until Robin gently pushed him away, "let me take a shower real quick? I've been on planes all day."

"I think I need one too, I've been in cars all day." He replied mischievous.

"Do you now?" Robin grinned and kissed him once more.

…

"Barney?" Robin whispered, not sure if her lover was asleep or awake.

The past 16 hours had been a mix of sex and dosing off, she was still jet-lagged, and Barney truly enjoyed being able to just fall back asleep instead of getting up and getting things done as he usually had to.

"Yeah?" Barney replied, moving around to face her.

Robin hesitated but finally said, "I made my decision."

Barney could feel how his heartbeat accelerated, "yeah?" he asked as calmly as possible.

Robin reached out and touched his bicep, "I'm going to break up with Ted."

Barney tried to keep himself from smiling, and to stay serious instead, "are you sure?"

"Yes."

"But what about Penny and Luke? And your dogs?" Barney asked, still trying to conceal his excitement.

"Penny doesn't like me, and Luke is probably indifferent about it."

"Still, it's a huge decision." Barney whispered.

"I know, and I've thought a lot about it in England. But let's face it, if I were truly happy, then I wouldn't have started this affair with you."

Barney nodded and moved forward to kiss her gently.

"Which brings me to the next point…us." Robin continued slowly.

Barney felt his heart skip a beat, was she going to break up with him as well? Was that the conclusion she had arrived at in England? That a clean slate would be the best thing right now.

"I don't want to go from living with one single father to the next. I want to get my independence back Barney, at least for a while."

"What does that mean for us exactly?" Barney asked.

"I want to get my own apartment, I want to just…date you. Without commitments." Robin replied.

Barney started to grin, "Ted wore you out with all this family stuff, didn't he?"

"Barney, come on, this is serious."

"I know, sorry. I'm just so relieved, for a second I thought you were going to dump me too."

Robin shook her head, "no, I want this, I do…I just don't want to rush anything."

"I totally get that Robin. You are getting out of a very serious relationship, it'd be a mistake to jump into something else immediately. And as much as I want to spend every night like the last, I also have Ellie to think about. I know we can't just pretend as if the divorce never happened."

"Exactly, and I honestly think it will be good for us. We will be able to enjoy each others company, while you still have your life with Ellie and I finally get my independence back."

Barney nodded and kissed her once again.

"Besides, I don't want the break-up with Ted to be about us. I want him to understand that the suburban life is suffocating me, and that I need to get my independence back. I want it to be about my needs, rather than you and our affair."

Barney nodded, "he doesn't need to know about that."

"I'd really prefer if he never found out. I don't want to hurt him. I know that's stupid, I mean our tete-a-tete has been going on a while now, so I'm obviously not too concerned about hurting him. But the break-up itself will already hurt him enough, you know?"

"When are you going to tell him?" he asked.

"Next weekend. I'll start looking for apartments as soon as we get back, I know I won't find anything this quickly, but Ted won't just kick me and the dogs out either. I just want to be as honest as possible with him, and I think opening up to him about it will be the best thing."

"You want to break up with him but stay there?"

"If he lets me, yeah."

"Isn't that going to be super weird?"

"We have a life together Barney. I can't just walk out, I have responsibilities, and things have to get figured out." She shrugged.

"You know he'll try to convince you to stay…and to sleep with you."

"Jealous?" Robin teased him.

"Not necessary jealous, grossed out thinking about you in bed with him, yeah, but jealous, nah."

Robin smiled, "he's not going to make me change my mind Barney. I promise."

"Did you sleep with him when he and the kids visited you in London?" he asked.

"Why does it matter?"

"Just curious."

"Yeah I did."

"Was it good?"

"I'm not going to discuss this with you Barney." Robin replied.

He could tell that she was getting aggravated with him.

"Look, I know I'm the _other guy_ in this situation, I know I don't have any leverage here, but I just want you to do what makes you happy. And staying there with him and the kids for longer than necessary seems like a horrible idea."

"I need an apartment Barney, I can't just take my five dogs and move into a hotel room. That's not how it works."

"You could live with me." He suggested.

"No. I don't want us to start out like that, I don't want to put that much pressure on Ellie and our rekindling relationship."

Barney nodded, even though parts of him disagreed.

"I loved our secret get away's and dates these last couple of months, and I want that. I want to date you and have fun like that."

"I know, and I agree that taking things slow is good. I just don't think it's a good idea to stay up there after you told Ted that you are going to move out."

"It's the adult thing to do Barney. And I'm not talking weeks here, just long enough for me to find a suitable apartment and for all the transitions to take place."

Barney leaned in and kissed her again, "I don't want to talk about this anymore, I'd much rather celebrate getting a girlfriend again."

"Really?" Robin giggled into the kiss.

"Yeah, she's this super hot and successful chick."

"Sounds like a good match for such a handsome man." She whispered before their lips locked one again.


	14. Chapter 14

**Reunion**

"I'm so glad you came." Lily said as she led him and Ellie into the living room.

"I know, we haven't seen each other in ages." Barney replied, his hand on Ellie's shoulder.

Lily had called out of the blue to invite him and Ellie to dinner and Barney had decided that it would be a good thing to rekindle their friendship.

"So much has happened." Lily said as she called for Daisy and Rose.

Barney nodded, he wondered whether or not Lily was planning on telling him about Ted and Robin tonight.

"And you got so big Ellie." Lily said and smiled at the little girl, "do you even remember me?"

"Hey, you are already there, I was just heading up the barbeque." Marshall said as he walked back into the livingroom.

"How are you bro?" Marshall and Barney hugged.

"We are doing great." Barney answered.

Daisy and Rose appeared on the stairwell.

"There you are, look who is here, you remember Ellie, right?" Daisy nodded, she had grown into a beautiful teenager.

"Hi."

Ellie nodded, she was the youngest of the bunch and clearly uncomfortable.

"I was thinking that the three of you could make a trip to the Bodega to grab the ingredients for smores?"

"Can I take daddy's car?" Daisy asked excited.

"You sure can sweetheart." Marshall replied.

Ellie looked up at him and Barney could tell that she wasn't thrilled to go with them.

"Here, you can get some sweets too." He pulled his wallet out and handed her a twenty.

"Daisy is a great driver." Marshall pointed out.

"Yeah, come on, it'll be fun." Rose encouraged Ellie and she finally followed them outside.

"She'll be fine, both Daisy and Rose have looked forward to spending time with her." Lily explained.

Barney nodded, "so how are you doing?"

Lily recollected the entire last year for him, and eventually ended with how Marvin was doing now that he wasn't living at home anymore.

Barney nodded, "must be weird to have one of the kids move out, huh?"

"Yeah it was a change. How about you, how are you and Ellie doing?"

"Good, she's really liking school so that's good and I'm working on my next book." He shrugged.

"Any ladies in your life?" Marshall asked.

"I actually just got back form a trip with one this morning. Ellie doesn't know that, she was with James and Tom, but I spend two days in a beach house enjoying life, if you know what I mean." He winked.

"Seriously?" Lily asked surprised.

Barney nodded, "yep, but as I said, Ellie thinks I went on a business trip so I'd appreciate if you wouldn't tell her."

"Who's the girl? Something serious?" Marshall asked.

Barney was just about to answer when he heard noises form the hallway and turned around, expecting Ellie and the girls to be back.

Instead he heard a male voice.

"Are you expecting anyone else?" he asked while Lily was already walking towards the hallway.

"You guys are late." She pointed out.

"Yeah sorry."

Marshall walked towards the hallway as well and Barney followed him, wondering how they had invited to join them.

"Dad insisted I had to change before leaving." A teenage boy who was now in Barney's eyesight, explained.

"Well, we actually got a surprise planned." Lily explained in her high-pitched voice.

"I cannot deal with another welcome-home surprise."

He recognized the voice instantly. Robin was here. Lily and Marshall had invited everyone.

He stepped into the hallway, "oh hey, I didn't know this was a group thing."

"Surprise." Lily exclaimed.

"We thought it was time to get everyone together again." Marshall explained.

Barney exchanged a look with Robin, who was just as stunned to see him here as he was to see her.

Then he forced himself to look at Ted.

He had gotten a lot older, and basically was now the old professor he'd always been on the inside anyways.

The two teenagers looked just as surprised as everyone else.

"Hi Barney, we haven't seen each other in ages, how are you doing?" Ted finally broke the silence.

"Great." Barney replied, looking back to Robin.

Ted must have noticed it since he moved closer to her and wrapped his arm around her waist.

"Did you know that Robin and I are a couple again?"

Barney hesitated, what was he supposed to say?

Robin was clearly just as uncomfortable as he was. She pushed Ted's arm off of her and stepped forward.

"How have you been?"

"Good." Barney replied.

"Barney, Robin just got back from a six-month assignment in London." Lily explained.

"This morning." Ted grinned, he was trying to re-establish physical contact with his girlfriend but Robin kept him at arms length.

"So you still travel?" Barney asked.

"Sometimes." She replied.

"Sometimes?" Penny asked, "you are constantly gone."

Barney caught the harsh tone the teenager used.

"And we get to visit her in the most amazing places." Ted tried to salvage the situation.

"We got to go to London." Luke explained, "it was great!"

"I bet it was." Barney nodded.

The door was opened again and the three girls appeared.

The second Ellie saw Robin, she started running and threw herself into her arms, "you are back!"

Robin caught her and pulled her into a tight hug.

Barney could see that Robin had closed her eyes while she held onto Ellie, he also noticed the confused looks all around.

"I missed you so much..." Ellie said as she drew back, she whispered her next sentence but everyone was still able to hear it, "daddy did too."

"Who are you?" Penny asked confused, "and how do you know my stepmom?"

Ellie looked up at Penny, clearly confused.

"I got you a surprise, but I don't have it with me right now." Robin quickly told Ellie.

"From London?" Ellie asked excited.

Robin nodded, and noticed the bag Ellie was carrying and asked if she should take it to the kitchen.

Ellie nodded, "it's the ingredients for the s'mores."

Robin quickly, and without making eye-contact with anyone, walked into the kitchen.

Penny was about to charge after her but Ted stopped her by holding his arm out, "I think you should go outside and check on the fire. All of you."

He then followed Robin.

Barney could feel Lily's eyes on him, while Marshall tried to get all the kids to join him outside.

Neither Ellie nor Penny were moving though.

"What is going on?" Lily hissed.

"You should have mentioned that you invited everyone." Barney replied as he placed his hand onto Ellie's shoulder and walked her into the living room.

…

Robin was standing by the sink, looking out the window. She could hear someone entering the kitchen and took a deep breath.

"Please tell me there is another explanation for why Ellie knows who you are other then the obvious one." Ted asked behind her.

Robin hesitated before slowly shaking her head.

"Since when?" Ted finally asked.

"A couple of months before I left for London." She replied.

This hadn't been the plan. She was going to find herself an apartment first, find someone to walk her dogs, have a plan.

They were going to take things slow and simply date first.

The break-up with Ted wasn't supposed to be about her infidelity. And it certainly wasn't supposed to happen in Lily and Marshall's kitchen.

"Oh my god." Ted whipped his face with his hand.

"I ran into him one night and we…" she shrugged, "I'm really sorry Ted."

"You are sorry? You cheated on me with your ex-husband and that's all you've got to say."

"It's Barney." Was all she said.

"Exactly! How could you do this? We have a family Robin."

"You have a family." She corrected him.

"And so does Barney." Ted replied.

The door was opened again and Barney entered the kitchen as well.

"You fucking bastard, you seduced my girlfriend, who the fuck does that?" Ted nearly charged at him.

"He didn't know." Robin interjected.

"What?" Ted asked confused.

"Barney didn't know that we were together when it happened."

"You didn't tell him?" Ted asked surprised.

"Not initially." Robin replied.

"I can't believe this." Ted shook his head, "how could you do this to us?"

Robin didn't have an answer, other then, "I'm very sorry Ted."

Ted left the kitchen, leaving Barney and Robin by themselves.

They exchanged a long look before Barney stepped forward, "I'll get Ellie, and then we can get some things from the house and go back to the city."

Robin nodded, "thanks."

Barney turned back and looked at her, "I'm sorry that Ellie spilled the beans."

"It wasn't her fault, she didn't know." Robin replied, and added, "did you see how excited she was to see me?"

Barney nodded, "told you."

Barney hesitated, unsure of whether or not he should go over there and hug her, or not. But maybe now was not the right time, so he left the kitchen to summon Ellie up.

Penny and Lily were standing by her side, clearly asking her questions about Robin.

"Ellie? Come on, we are going to leave."

Ellie responded immediately, running over to her dad.

Lily and his eyes met briefly but he just turned around and walked back into the hallway, where Robin was already waiting for him.

…

They had almost reached the car when Ted stormed out of the house and caught Robin's arm, swinging her around.

"Wait." He said and glanced over to Barney and Ellie, who had also stopped in their tracks.

Barney got the message and pushed Ellie further along, even though he really wanted to have a say in this conversation too, he understood that this was between Robin and Ted.

"There is no going back if you leave now." Barney heard Ted say.

"I am not happy Ted, I haven't been for a long time. I am not cut out for this live, for the suburbs, for being someone's stepmom." Robin replied calmly.

"The kids love you." Ted countered, "you can't do this to us. We are a family."

"Ted, I'm really sorry."

Marshall, Lily and all the kids had come out as well, standing on the front porch watching the drama unfold.

"You are making a mistake Robin. I get that you and Barney have a lot of history together and that being with him is more exciting than here in the suburbs with me, but it's a mistake."

Robin looked over her shoulder, where Barney and Ellie were already sitting in the car.

"I can forgive you for the affair, it'll be hard, but we can work through our issues, but if you leave now, if you walk out right this second, then that's it Robin, you'll loose this family. Think about that."

"I have thought about it Ted, I had six months to think about it. This break-up was inevitable, it's what I want." Robin turned around and walked the past couple of steps to the car, quickly getting in.

"Go?" Barney asked.

"As fast as you can." Robin replied.

"Did I say something wrong?" Ellie asked as they exited the street.

"No sweetie, you didn't." Barney replied, he glanced over to Robin who had closed her eyes.

"But everyone was excited about the BBQ and making s'mores and now we are leaving without eating." Ellie pointed out.

"Ell? You didn't do anything wrong. But can you please be quiet for a little while? How about you draw something? There should be paper and crayons in the backpack, right?" Barney instructed her.

"It's okay." Robin said and turned to him, he could see that she had tears in her eyes, "you don't have to be quiet Ellie, and Barney is right, you didn't do or say anything wrong."

"But the s'mores." Ellie said once again.

"We can make some, just the three of us, okay? We'll stop at a bodega and grab the stuff we need." Robin offered.

"You don't have to do that." Barney said.

"It's okay." Robin replied.

Barney sighed, this was not at all the evening he had envisioned.

…

They arrived at Ted's house twenty minutes later.

"Are you coming?" Robin asked as she was already halfway out of her seat.

"I don't think we should." Barney replied.

"They aren't coming home anytime soon, and Ellie can play with the dogs. I need at least fifteen minutes to grab the most important things, she doesn't need to sit in the car for that."

"I don't think Ted would want me in there."

"Well, he's not here and it's not like we are going to sneak one in or anything." Robin said under he breath so only Barney could hear it.

He chuckled, "that would be kind of hot." He told her as they met on the front of the hood of the car as he was walking around to get Ellie and she was already walking towards the house.

…

Ellie clearly had respect for the dogs and stayed behind Barney as they came up to sniff them.

"They won't do anything." Robin told them and walked them through the study and towards the back door, "how about you guys play with them in the backyard? There should be toys all over you can throw for them."

Barney nodded and stepped out first, Ellie close behind.

"I'll hurry up." Robin promised as she closed the screen door.

Ellie quickly became more comfortable around the dogs, running around with them in the yard and Barney decided that it was okay to leave them alone for a moment so he could check on Robin.

"Robin?" he called out as he entered the hallway.

"Up here." Came the reply, shortly afterwards she appeared on the top of the stairs, "is everything all right?"

"Yeah." He quickly walked up the stairs, taking two steps at a time, trying not to think about being in Ted's house and overstepping all kinds of boundaries by being up here.

He'd reached her, "are you okay?"

"Yeah, I just need to get my work stuff and I'll be good to go."

"No I mean, with all of this."

"Can we talk about this later? I know I said that Ted wouldn't be back anytime soon but I really don't want to risk running into them here either."

"I know, it's just…look, we can drop Ellie off at James' and Tom's, that way we would have the apartment to ourselves."

"It's okay, I don't mind Ellie being there, it's her home. And I don't mind her asking questions, or not understanding the situation. I don't want her to feel like she can't talk to us about this, you know? And I think it's a good idea to make s'mores tonight, it'll be a positive start into this whole new chapter of our lives. Yes, this wasn't exactly how I pictured the break-up from Ted to go, but it happened and if anything it's my fault, not hers or Lily's."

Barney nodded, "but you've got to be craving some quiet time, right now."

"I'm a reporter Barney, I get paid to pretend to be happy and carefree. I can pull through a couple of hours of doing that for Ellie's sake."

"I'll try to get her to bed as early as possible."

She nodded and started to turn around, but Barney caught her arm and pulled her back around, the other hand finding the nape of her neck as he kissed her passionately.

Her arms moved around his torso and their tongs found each other.

"I love you." He whispered as he finally drew back.

"I love you too." Robin replied, equally whispering.


	15. Chapter 15

**A New Beginning**

Naturally Ellie was very excited to have Robin visiting now that she was back from the UK and hence was riled up.

The s'mores they made on the stove later that night didn't really help either and so it took way longer than Barney liked to get her to settle down and go to sleep.

"Finally" he commented as he walked into the bedroom.

Robin was standing in the middle of the room, looking a little lost.

"You okay?" He asked.

She quickly nodded and Barney added, "I mean obviously you aren't okay, after all you just broke up with your longtime boyfriend, but…are you okay to be here? I would understand it if you would rather stay at a hotel tonight to get a clear head."

And sob, he added in his mind but didn't say out loud. Rationally he understood that this breakup must have an effect on Robin even if she had planned to end things anyways, but he still didn't want to think too much about her hurting because of Ted.

"I'm fine. It's just odd to be back." Robin waved her hand around the room.

Barney didn't quite get it, she had been back in their former bedroom a couple of times since the divorce.

"We are both single." She whispered and quickly added, "or aren't we?"

"I am." Barney quickly said, realizing too late that she hadn't wanted to know whether or not he met someone else while she was away, "I mean...there is no one else, just you."

Robin rubbed her eyes.

"How about we just call it a night and deal with this stuff later?" Barney asked, and not just because he wasn't a fan of having the talk, but also because it had been a really long day for Robin already.

"Yeah…okay."

"Go ahead, the bathroom is all yours." He said, but she still hesitated and he decided to give her a little bit more room and leave the bedroom altogether.

…

He stuck to giving her some space when he climbed into bed an hour later after having watched a late night talkshow in the living room and then again the next morning, when he snuck out of bed to prepare breakfast.

Ellie was already sitting on the couch watching her Saturday morning caroons when he entered the living room.

"Is Robin still here?" She asked curiously as he walked towards the kitchen.

"Yeah she is, but she's still sleeping. How about we run down to Starbucks and get her a fresh drink to go with breakfast?"

"Yeah!" Ellie jumped off the couch, "can I have one too?"

"I'll let you get a hot chocolate." He commented.

"A white one?"

"Sure."

"Yes!" Ellie ran into her room to get dressed and Barney opened the fridge to check if he had enough ingredients to fix a decent breakfast for all three of them.

Then he walked back into the bedroom and exchanged his sweatpants for a pair of jeans, leaving the plain t-shirt he had been wearing on.

"Ready?" Ellie asked as he walked back out into the living room.

"Yes."

They made it all the way down into the lobby before Ellie started talking again, "daddy? Why did that girl yesterday think that Robin was her stepmother? I thought Robin doesn't have any kids?"

"She doesn't sweetie." Barney explained, hoping to get her to drop the topic without him having to explain why Penny had said that.

"But she's their step mother?" Ellie didn't let it go as he had hoped.

Barney held the door open for Ellie, and they stepped onto the busy sidewalk.

"Does that mean that she went dress shopping and did other mother-daughter stuff with her too?" Ellie asked further and Barney finally realized where she was getting at.

He stopped in his tracks and looked at her, "you know that Robin is just a really good friend, right Ell?"

"But you really like her."

"And so do you, right?"

"Yes, but you really like her." Ellie said again and Barney caught on and started laughing.

"You kissed." She clarified anyways, giggling into her hand.

"Yes Ellie, I really, really like Robin. But that doesn't mean that she is going to be your mom or anything, it just means that we will spend some more time together."

"Because she's the stepmother of someone else?" Ellie asked.

"No. Forget what happened yesterday, that had nothing to do with you."

Ellie nodded, but Barney could tell that she wasn't happy with his answer but he didn't know what else to say. She was way too young to really understand what had happened last night.

They reached the Starbucks and Ellie noticed a treat she had "always wanted to try" so he was happy for the distraction and bought three for them to try after breakfast.

…

Robin was in the shower when they got back to the apartment and Barney started to fix breakfast.

He tried to get Ellie to set the table a couple of times but didn't get anything more than a, "just a second daddy" from her once she had settled back onto the couch.

"Good morning." Robin greeted them when she walked into the living room ten minutes later. That finally got Ellie's attention.

"Robin! We got you a latte macchiato with caramel…and a china? No what is it called daddy?"

"A chai tea latte." He called out.

"Two drinks?" Robin asked amused and walked around the kitchen island.

"I know you like both, pick the one you are in the mood for and I'll drink the other." Barney explained.

"Thanks, that's sweet of you." She quickly kissed him on the lips and Barney caught Ellie's big grin before he turned back towards the stove to check on the eggs.

"And you are making breakfast too?" Robin asked, but sounded absent minded.

Barney glanced at her, she was staring at a spot on the wall and he could almost read her thoughts.

This was too much, too soon. She had wanted to get out of the relationship with Ted because the family life was smuttering her, yet here they were, re-creating it.

"Robin will you watch cartoons with me?" Ellie asked.

"I told you to set the table." Barney reminded Ellie harshly.

Ellie had clearly not expected the stern tone and turned the tv off immediately, "I was going to do that after Snoopy."

"Now."

"I am doing it." Ellie protested and Barney realized that he had just made things worse.

He turned to Robin again and mouthed a "sorry".

But she either didn't catch it, or didn't want to catch it. Either way she didn't react.

"What do you think about spending some time at Ana's today?" Barney asked Ellie while she was standing next to him, retrieving the utensils from the drawer.

"But I want to spend time with Robin." Ellie whined.

"You can, she'll still be here tonight." Barney replied.

At least he hoped that he wouldn't mess this up badly enough by then that she wasn't.

"It's fine Barney." Robin had snapped out of it and put her hand on his arm, "let's do something together."

…

Barney snuck out of the bedroom early on Sunday morning, already dressed and ready to go.

Ellie wasn't even up yet, and hence he went into her room to wake her up.

"I don't want to get up yet." She complained.

"You have to, you have an exciting day ahead of you."

"I do?" Ellie asked, "are we doing something with Robin?"

"No, Ana's mom invited you to come to Conny Island with them." Because he pretty much bribed her, and offered to pay for the rides of both girls if she took Ellie of his hands today.

"Conny island? Really?" Ellie jumped out of bed immediately.

"Yes, you guys are going to have so much fun."

"Can't you come too? And Robin? We could show her the rides, has she ever been?"

"Robin and I have somewhere else we need to be, besides, she invited you, not us. It'll be fun though, I'm sure you'll have a great time." Barney replied.

"Do you think I'm tall enough to ride the big rollercoaster now?"

"Maybe." Barney replied.

"I bet Ana won't do it, she's always scared of everything." Ellie sighed dramatically and Barney grinned, Ellie wasn't exactly a dare devil herself.

"Well, you better get ready quickly so we can get going."

…

Everything went off without a hitch, he dropped her off at her friend's house and was back with a fresh coffee before Robin even woke up.

Robin had been a good sport yesterday and had been very engaged in Ellie, but he could still tell that this wasn't what she had signed up for. Which was why it was so important to do this today.

He put the coffee's on the nightstand and stripped down to his boxers before slipping back into bed with her.

The movement of the bed woke Robin up and Barney drew her closer, placing a gentle kiss against her lips and whispering a "good morning."

"Morning." Robin mumbled in his arms.

"I'm sorry to wake you up this early, but unfortunately we can't sleep in today."

"Not? Does Ellie have…" Robin started.

"Ellie's not home." He interjected, because just the notion of Robin thinking that she was imbedded into their family live enough to mess with her sleep schedule scared him.

"What?" Robin asked confused, rubbing her eyes now.

"I dropped her off with a friend for the day."

"Barney you didn't have to do that." Robin replied.

"Yeah, I kind of did." He replied.

"No, I know that things have changed and that you have a daughter now who comes first."

He kissed her once again, "I made an appointment with a realtor at ten."

"What?" she asked confused.

"I know things didn't exactly go the way you wanted them to, but that doesn't mean that the things we agreed upon at the beach aren't relevant anymore."

"What are you talking about?" Robin asked confused.

"Your own apartment. The plan was for you to move from Ted's into your own apartment. I mean we've both known that this arrangement was just ad interim, right?"

"Are you kicking me out?" Robin asked amused.

"No, I really want this. Us. The three of us." He waved around, "but I'm not making the same mistake Ted did. No matter how much I want this, you don't. And that's okay. I know you aren't too fond of kids and all this boring family stuff."

"Barney it's okay, I don't mind Ellie. She's an awesome kid."

"Well, duh?" He laughed before continuing, "the point is, you broke up with Ted because you felt suffocated by the family life, and now here you are in the same pickle, just this time with me and Ellie."

"You can't compare the two."

"Robin I love you." He said sincerely, "and I want us to work out more than anything else. We already agreed on the separate apartments, and I'm going to support you with that, even though the thought of letting things slide and having you live here full time is tempting as hell."

Robin smiled and kissed him.

"Anyways, as I said, we have an appointment with a realtor at ten. I found this awesome apartment that I think would be perfect. It's on the upper west side, a block away from central park so you can easily take your dogs there on a daily basis. And since you are working all week, I figured today was the perfect day to check it out. The guy mentioned that he has other apartments he could show us as well if the first one isn't a good fit, but I have a good feeling about that."

"Seems odd that it's just available like that? There must be something wrong with it, right?" Robin questioned.

Barney shook his head, "the only thing that's wrong with it, is how awesome it is."

…

He could feel Robin's eyes on him and her hesitation before she entered the room adjacent to the living room as the realtor had prompted them to do.

"The previous owners used this as the dining room, it makes sense since the kitchen is right next to it." The realtor started to walk towards it.

Barney started to follow suit, but Robin wrapped her hand around his and hissed, "what are we doing here, Barney?"

"Checking out the apartment. Duh." He replied.

"No I know, but this is way too big."

He had kept walking and Robin hadn't let go of his arm either, hence they both ended up in the kitchen.

"There is a storage closet right here." He opened another door to show them.

"I love the cooking island." Barney commented as he let his fingers trail over the marble top.

"As I said, the previous owners just renovated the bathrooms and kitchen."

"Can we see them?" Barney asked, the guy nodded and lead the way.

They walked through an empty hallway, Robin's heels clicking loudly on the wooden floor.

"This is the guest bathroom, the second one is bedded between the two bedrooms back here, and then the master bathroom is only accessible through the master bedroom."

He pointed towards the other direction, "shall we start with the spare bedrooms?"

"Sure." Barney nodded.

"Do you have kids? The nice thing about this layout is that both rooms are equal, so there wouldn't be any fighting over who got the bigger one."

Barney nodded, but didn't give him a real reply.

"And as I said, the bathroom is right here."

He showed them, before walking through it and into the second kids room.

"There surely is a lot of room in here." Barney commented.

"Yeah, it's a nice place to raise a family, that's for sure."

Robin was still not taking part in the conversation whatsoever.

"And this is the master bedroom, you might have noticed the balcony already." He pointed towards the window front, "it's not excessively large but big enough for a table, the sun is on it in the morning, so it's a nice spot for breakfast."

"I can picture it right now." Barney grinned, "can't you?" he asked Robin.

She nodded, still not very keen to join the conversation.

"Well and this is the master bathroom, complete with whirlpool and shower. And a walk in closet."

"Wow, that's nice." Barney exclaimed, "you would finally have a walk in closet." He beamed at Robin.

"Yeah." Robin replied, still on the fence about this.

"It seems to me as if you are not quite sold on the place." The realtor pointed out, "do you not like it?"

"It's a really nice apartment, that's for sure." Robin replied, "really nice."

"But?" he kept prying.

Robin locked eyes with Barney, "it's not exactly what I was looking for."

Barney turned towards the realtor and asked whether or not he could give them a minute.

"Sure, I'll be in the living room." He walked out of the room, pulling his phone out in the process.

Robin waited a beat before asking, "Barney what are we doing here?"

"Checking out this amazing apartment. And it even has a freaking whirlpool Robin, you know what that means, right?" He wiggled his eyebrows.

"This is three times the size and price I was looking for." She countered.

"But it's perfect, right? You like it, right?"

"Barney it's not what I was looking for." She replied.

"It'd be perfect with the dogs, they'd have enough room to play and run."

"Two rooms and two bathrooms wouldn't be used at all, yet I'd have to clean them all the time." She countered, "this is just completely wrong, you see that, right?"

Barney stepped closer to her, "it's perfect Robin."

"Barney…" she started, clearly annoyed at him for being so delusional.

"Sure it's a little big for you alone, but it'll be a perfect match for us."

"You mean moving in together? Here? I thought the whole point of looking for an apartment was that I didn't live with you and Ellie."

"The whole point of looking for an apartment was so that you could get your independence back." He countered.

"So?"

"So, I was thinking. We'll go 50/50 on this apartment, and you and the dogs move in. That way, if we ever decide that we do want to live together, we'll already have the perfect home for the three of us."

"That's insane." Robin countered.

"This is a great fit Robin, and there is still no pressure. We can just sell it again if we don't work out, we will make money off of it in this location."

"Barney, you can't spend your life savings on an apartment your ex-wife is moving into."

"I like to think of it as an investment I'm going into with my current girlfriend." He let the word hang in the air for a second.

Robin smiled, and so he did as well.

"This is still crazy."

"Do you like it?" he asked once again.

"Yes of course I do, it's an awesome place."

"So let's buy it."

"What about the fortress? You love that place."

"You are more important to me than the fortress Robin. And let's face it, we've outgrown it."

Robin grinned, "we have?"

"Well, I added a kid into the mix and you five dogs, it'd be crowded. But here? Ellie would have a nice room, we could make the second spare bedroom an office…"

Robin had started to rub his arms with her hands.

"Besides, I wouldn't have to say goodbye to the fortress right away, it could be years before Ellie and I move in here, if ever."

"This is completely insane." Robin whispered.

"No, it's betting on our future together."

"It's a lot of money, Barney."

"Well, I assumed that you have the necessary funds given that you are one of the most successful news casters in the country and don't have a lot of expenses. And I'll figure the financing out, it'll be alright."

Robin took a deep breath.

"We could grow old here." Barney whispered, and he could already see it really. Lounging by the fire place in the living room, eating breakfast together on the balcony, Ellie visiting for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

"We failed miserably last time we tried this."

"I thought we have already established that we give us another chance." He replied.

"Yes, of course, it's just a whole new level if you are talking about buying a home together."

"It's not Robin, it'll only mean as much as we want it to mean. I'm serious, if this doesn't work out then we'll sell it for a win."

Robin took another deep breath and let her forehead fall against his, "the commitment phobic in me wants to run away, but the girl who remembers how things used to be… you know before everything fell apart…wants to leap into this fantasy."

"It makes sense, that's why, I don't want to bind you to me. I'm not Ted, Robin. This won't change anything. We will still just date in the beginning and take things slow, you still won't have any responsibilities regarding Ellie or me."

Robin closed her eyes for a second, and so did Barney, awaiting her final decision.

It'd be okay if she didn't want to go in on this together, he told himself, they could just find her another apartment and go from there. But he would be a little disappointed, because he really wanted to make it work this time, and committing to this would be an indication that she was truly into this as much as he was.


	16. Chapter 16

"Daddy, are you up? It's time for Saturday morning cartoo…" Ellie stopped right in front of his bed, clearly surprised to see someone besides her father in his bed.

"Morning sweetie." Barney mumbled and untangled himself from Robin, who was still asleep next to him.

"Hi." Ellie whispered, the surprised look still on her face.

"How about you go and get everything we need for cereal in bed and I'll wake up Robin?" Barney suggested.

Ellie started grinning, "you think she'll watch them with us?"

"Yeah, she probably will."

Ellie grinned and turned around, running out of the bedroom as quickly as possible.

Barney turned back to Robin and started to rub her shoulder, "Robin? You've got to wake up babe."

She complained a little and he added, "I'm sorry about this rude awakening, but Ellie is preparing breakfast in bed for us and we aren't even wearing any clothes."

"Oh my god, we need to get dressed." Robin was suddenly completely awake, pulling the covers up higher.

"Or have a super awkward moment when she discovers that we are naked." He grinned as he got up.

He quickly pulled a fresh boxer and t-shirt from his dresser and threw them on before tossing Robin the same attire.

"Don't you have sweatpants?" she asked while pulling the t-shirt over her head.

"They are in the wash." He replied as he climbed back into bed and got under the covers.

Robin slipped into the boxershorts and afterwards smoothened her hair out.

"I like the sleepy look on you." Barney grinned and leaned over to kiss her.

"I can live with sleepy myself, just sex hair seems highly inappropriate."

Barney laughed and kissed her once more, "I had a great time last night Robin…easily the best since the divorce, if you know what I mean?"

He wiggled his eyebrows and she moved in to kiss him. They started to make-out and it wasn't until a couple of minutes later that Barney broke it off and looked around.

He had listened for Ellie's footsteps but never heard them, and now he couldn't even hear her in the kitchen.

"Ell? Do you need help?"

No answer.

He pushed himself up, "let me check on her, okay?"

Robin nodded and collected herself again.

He couldn't find her in the kitchen, which was odd since she had seemed so excited to get back to them as quickly as possible.

"Ellie?" Barney called out once more, but didn't receive an answer.

He sighed and started to walk towards her room.

While Robin had stayed with them the entire week, Ellie and her hadn't really interacted. He usually got up in the morning to get Ellie ready for school, and due to her work schedule, Robin didn't get back to the apartment until after Ellie was already in bed.

"Ellie?" He asked as he knocked on her door.

No answer so he just entered, Ellie was lying on her bed, clearly upset and crying.

"Hey, what's wrong Sweetie?" Barney asked as he sat down on the bed with her.

"Leave me alone." Ellie replied stubborn.

Barney sighed, "you know I won't until we talked about this."

"I don't want to talk to you …EVER!"

So dramatic, Barney thought, "you've got to at least tell me what I did."

"Leave me alone!" Ellie shook his arm off of her.

"Ellie, why are you so upset all of a sudden? I thought we were going to watch cartoons together, mhh?"

"Just watch them with Robin."

Barney sighed, was she jealous of Robin all of a sudden?

"You like her better than me anyways." Ellie added and Barney realized that maybe the stepdaughter-mother set up was a lot harder to pull off than he'd expected it to be. He'd thought Ted had been a total jerk to Robin when he'd put his kids ahead of her at all times, but now he kind of got it.

"Why would you say that?" Barney asked.

"Because it's true."

"No it's not, you know that I love you more than anything."

"But you just said that spending last night with her was the best time since before I was born." Ellie yelled.

"Oh sweetie," Barney laughed, "you heard that?"

She didn't appreciate his laughter and hit him, tears still streaming down her face.

"I meant that I haven't had that much fun with another adult, not period. The time I get to spend with you is totally different honey."

"You are just saying that."

"No I'm not, you are the most important person in my life Ellie. But I do really like Robin too, and she's going to be a part of our life, but that's awesome, right? Cause you like her a lot too, don't you?"

Ellie nodded.

"How about we get back over there?" Barney suggested and picked her up.

"What happened?" Robin asked as he placed Ellie on the bed with her.

"Ellie heard me say that last night was the best time I've had in years."

"Oh Ellie." Robin put her arm around Ellie's shoulder, "he didn't mean it that way. We just did something special last night and …"

She noticed the look on Barney's face and halted.

"What?"

"Nothing. Hey, I don't think Ellie has heard about your new apartment yet." Barney changed the subject.

"You found an apartment?" Ellie asked.

Robin nodded, "well, your dad did, it's close to central park. We should take you there sometime this week, I thing we'll receive the keys sometime soon."

Barney nodded, "the financial stuff is almost through."

He still couldn't believe how happy it had made him to see their names together on a legal document again.

It meant that there was going to be a future. Maybe not exactly the one he imagined right this second, but she wasn't just going to get up and leave either.

…

Robin was ten minutes late when she arrived at Ellie's softball game, but most parents where still standing on the sidelines chatting.

It was easy to spot Barney since he was surrounded by a mop of housewives.

Robin couldn't help but grin, apparently Barney was a high commodity among divorcees.

There probably weren't many single fathers out there to begin with, but Barney still got it and was clearly a single-mother magnet.

Robin got closer and some of the women shot her dirty looks.

"Hey." Robin said once she was close enough, immediately ending the ongoing conversation since Barney turned around.

"Hey, you made it!" he exclaimed excited as he wrapped his arm around her waist, which immediately turned the expressions of some of the moms bitter.

"Sorry I'm late, the broadcast ran long."

"Ellie hasn't been up yet." Barney replied and turned back towards the others, "this is Robin."

A few "hi"s and "nice to meet you"'s were mumbled.

"Come on, let's find a spot on the bleachers before Ellie is up." Barney said and took her hand to pull her along.

They settled into their seats a few minutes later.

"Thanks for coming." Barney said.

"Thanks for inviting me." Robin replied as she wrapped her arm around his bicep, "I feel like a high school student all over again."

"Why's that?" Barney asked amused.

"You know, sitting on uncomfortable bleachers, except that this time I'm actually the girlfriend of the quarterback and everyone is envying me."

"What?" Barney asked confused.

"Please, you are the highest commodity here. And don't tell me you haven't noticed that all these housewives are totally into you."

"Okay, say I am the quarterback, wouldn't it be time to start making out?"

Robin laughed, "and really make everyone jealous?"

Barney wiggled his eyebrows and Robin leaned it to kiss him.

…

"Robin, did you see how I hit that homerun?" Ellie asked excited as she ran up the pair afterwards.

"I did, yes. That was great." Robin grinned and let go of Barney's hand to high-five Ellie.

"What's the plan for the rest of the evening?" Barney asked.

"The others are going to Tom's Pizza." Ellie said.

Barney nodded, "well Robin and I were going to do some unpacking in her new apartment but I can see if you can go with someone."

"I'll wait here." Robin said, and Ellie turned around to wave at her.

Robin waved back and watched as Barney joined the circle of soccer mom's again. Some of them looked over to her briefly and she could guess what they were thinking.

She turned around so no-one could see her grin. With Ted's kids she'd always been the second parent, but the month since she'd broken up with Ted had been a new experience.

Barney always treated her as his girlfriend, and never as Ellie's parent.

She had yet to spend alone time with Ellie, something Ted had sprung upon her within days of them getting back together.

She liked how these women looked at her, how they thought of her as a trophy girlfriend who was in it for the hot guy and too arrogant to spend time with the kid, yet somehow had managed to get onto the kids good side.

No-one would mistake her for Ellie's stepmother, and that was a very liberating thought.

"We are good." Barney said as he wrapped his arm around her waist, "I'll pick her up in three hours."

Robin grinned, "I like the sound of that."

Barney could read her mind and kissed her briefly, "we can finally finish our quest of doing it in each room of your new apartment."

"Ours." Robin replied.

"Yours, no-one needs to know who the second person of that deed is right now."

They walked a couple more steps before Barney spoke up again, "thanks again for coming today, I know she really loved having you here."

"And I liked attending."

"Not too much?" He checked.

"Nope."

He grinned and kissed her again, "I love you."

"Ted? What are you doing here?" Robin asked surprised once she had realized who was standing in front of her door.

"Can we… talk?" He asked tentatively.

Robin hesitated for a second but finally moved away from the door to let him in.

They hadn't spoken since she walked out on him. Texted, yes, but not spoken. And even the texts were purely to work out the logistics of her moving out.

She walked towards the kitchen and he followed her.

"Do you want something to drink?" She asked, even though she'd rather not have him get too comfortable.

"A water would be great." Ted replied.

Robin moved around this cooking island to get him one.

"This is an awesome apartment." Ted complimented as he looked around, "seems huge."

Robin nodded, "it's perfect for the dogs."

She handed him the water but moved back behind the kitchen island to get some space between them.

"What do you want?" she finally asked.

"How are you doing?" He countered.

"Good. But I'm sure that's not why you came all the way down to the city on a Monday night."

He nodded and looked at the glass in his hand, "I talked to Lily."

Robin could still not follow him.

"She told me about your new apartment."

"And you wanted to check it out yourself?" She asked confused.

"No. Look." He started to walk around the kitchen island until he was almost in her personal space, "Robin what happened broke my heart."

She averted her gaze.

"Finding out that you had been cheating on me with Barney was devastating."

Great, he was here to talk about that? Robin sighed, "I'm sorry Ted. I really didn't want you to find out this way."

"What was your plan exactly? I mean what were you thinking? Barney again?"

Robin took a deep breath, "Ted, why are you here?"

He didn't answer and within a couple of seconds the silence became too loud in Robin's ears and she answered his question after all, "initially I wasn't thinking, I just…let him take me to his hotel room and then…afterwards…I couldn't stop. Barney's has always had that effect on me, he's so addictive and fun. We never had fun with each other anymore Ted."

"Why didn't you tell me how you felt?"

"I tried Ted, I tried to show you how suffocated I felt, but you never listened."

"I did, I okayed the London gig."

"You okayed it? Are you serious right now? I wasn't your property Ted." Robin put up her hands, "you know what, why are we even having this conversation? We are over, it doesn't matter."

Ted took a deep breath, "Robin these last couple of weeks have been horrific, but I can forgive you for cheating…we can start fresh, and really make it work now."

"What?" Robin asked surprised.

"We can establish a date night once a week."

"Why do you think we would get back together?" Robin asked surprised.

"Because I'm ready to forgive you and work through our problems."

"Ted, what did Lily tell you exactly?" She asked.

"Lily? What does Lily have to do with anything. She just told me that you bought an apartment in the city."

"And you thought that meant what exactly?"

"Don't make me say it." Ted replied.

"Say what? I really don't understand where you are coming from right now."

"It's obvious Robin. You fell back under Barney's spell of sex and fun, but then when you had it full time, you realized that it wasn't as much fun after all. He's got a kid now too. So you got out of there and you guys obviously broke up."

"Ted, Barney owns 50% of this apartment. We bought it together. I moved in here because that's what I wanted all along. I wanted to get my independence back and Barney respected that. We are dating."

"What?" Ted asked surprised and took a step back.

"Barney doesn't see me as a stepmother for Ellie, he see's me as his girlfriend. He's not like you."

"You are still with him?" Ted asked dumbfounded.

Robin nodded, "he's the love of my life Ted. It's always been him."


End file.
